Out of England, Foghat have been a perfect blend of Blues with Hard Rock for over 50 years and counting. Conceived when Lonesome Dave Peverett, Tony Stevens and Roger Earl bowed out of Savoy Brown in 1971, soon joining them to create Foghat was slide guitar master Rod Price. An exceptional group of musicians, the band would go onto dish out one strong album after another, all while garnering big attention with tracks like 1975’s “Slow Ride,” as well as 1976’s “Fool for the City” and “Drivin’ Wheel.”
Attaining many gold and platinum selling records along the way, above anything, Foghat was and always will be recognized for their live shows. Creating a list of live albums along the way, many have been as successful as some of their studio ones. In fact, 1977’s Foghat Live recorded at the The Dome Arena up in Henrietta, New York sold over 2 million copies and is certified double platinum in the USA. A bold moment in the story of Foghat, other live records have been put out there through the years, and now in 2024 they are back with Slow Ride – Live In Concert.
A bit of a look back in time, this new release is of archival material from all the way back in 1999. Recorded and filmed over two nights in Houston, Texas at two separate venues (The Plaza and The Hanger), until now they have been in the Foghat vault just waiting to see the light of day. At last, released April 5th through Cleopatra Records, Slow Ride – Live In Concert stands out for several reasons. First and foremost, it was documented just prior to Peverett passing away in early 2000 at the age of 56. A very sad turn of events, in hindsight, these concert recordings now stand as a swansong to the late great Peverett. Beyond this very significant attribute, the recordings also feature other original Foghat members, Bassist Tony Stevens and Drummer Roger Earl, joined by former Wild Cherry Guitarist Bryan Bassett (a fixture in Foghat for years ever since 1999).
Together these factors make this new release extremely compelling, but adding even more intrigue is that you have several format options. Satisfying your ears and eyes, you can either purchase the live performance as a CD/DVD set, a double orange marble pressed LP, or as a standalone Blu-ray. Really a matter of which meets your needs, breaking it down a little more, the setlist itself includes 10 tracks; with everything from “Drivin’ Wheel,” “Rock Your House” and “Angel of Mercy,” to “Fool For The City,” and “Slow Ride.” Collecting some of Foghat’s most beloved songs, the audio and visual quality is quite solid as well.
All in all, you cannot go wrong with any selection made with Slow Ride – Live In Concert. The performance is memorable, the band sounds fantastic, and the historical importance is undeniable. Encapsulating a moment in time for Foghat, the other positive news is the band will continue to rock and roll in 2024. Currently including the one and only Roger Earl on drums, Bryan Bassett on guitar, Rodney O’Quinn on bass, and Scott Holt (who played alongside Buddy Guy for a decade) on lead vocals, Foghat put out the album Sonic Mojo to acclaim in 2023.
Their first album since 2016’s Under the Influence, Sonic Mojo also marks the first time ever that Foghat had landed at #1 on any of Billboard’s charts after a new album release. Well-deserved, the album is a fantastic collection of Blues Rock songs that only add to Foghat’s storied career. Absolutely worth picking up, the band also has a list of shows lined up throughout 2024 to check out. Proving to be as vital as ever, Cryptic Rock recommends Slow Ride – Live In Concert as an addition to any Classic Rock lovers collection, giving each of the format options 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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