38 Special Rocks The Plaza! By Michael Bruce

38 Special Rocks The Plaza! By Michael Bruce.

It was a beautiful Wednesday night for a show at The Empire State Plaza in New York’s capital city of Albany.  The group on hand was the 1980’s top 40 rockers 38 Special.  The first thing that comes to mind for me concerning the music of this is; my how times have changed.  If 38 Special was a band that rolled out their hits within the past few years they would indeed be called a COUNTRY ACT.  However, in the 1980s, they were considered a top 40 rock n’ roll act.  The industry and all of its flaws has let such things happen.  Bands that sound like 38 Special are now considered country because Heaven forbid we use the evil word ROCK associated with a guitar sound for top 40 music these days.  Don’t get me started on the music industry’s many flaws.  Instead, let’s focus on this really fun night where this band that started in Jacksonville, Florida performed a slew of hits that was all over 80s top 40 radio stations.

The band consisted of lead singer/guitarist, and original member Don Barnes.  The other guitarist was Jerry Riggs.  On keys (and some) lead vocals was Bobby Capps.  Gary Moffatt played drums, and Barry Dunaway played bass.  As just noted, Don Barnes is the only original member of the band, but he’s also the original voice.  May times, people are cool with a different support cast as long as the lead vocalist is still around.  However, let’s not forget this fun 38 Special nugget that Donnie Van Zant, younger brother of Ronnie Van Zant (co-founder of a little ol’ band called Lynyrd Skynyrd) was a co-founder of 38 Special.  We also have to point out that the band used to be one of those…two drummer bands.  However, they have reduced it to one.

38 Special is an 80s staple.  Being at the show, I forgot about a half dozen songs they performed that I knew, because I remember hearing them on the radio, or seeing the video on MTV.  They really did have a fantastic run through the decade with constant radio presence.  Their formula is just good old fashioned straight ahead, pop/rock song writing.  It’s catchy guitar chords with catchy melodies, and catchy lyrics.  It’s simply called feel good music!  The thousands on hand really enjoyed walking through memory lane with the band and their slew of hit songs. Many of these songs as Barnes pointed out were in movie soundtracks as well.  Here’s the set list: Rockin’ Into the Night, Wild-Eyed Southern Boys, Back Where You Belong, The Sound of Your Voice, Back to Paradise, Honkey Tonk Dancer, Rough Housin’, Teacher Teacher, You Keep On Runnin’ Away, Somebody Like You, Second Chance, Like No Other Night, If I’d Been the One, Fantasy Girl, Good Times (a song Jimmy Barnes did with INXS), Caught Up In You, Chain Lightning, Hold On Loosely, and one CCR cover…Travelin Band.

Looking around, everyone was really having a great time.  38 Special was fun, and they sounded really good! The band was singing those songs that many of us grew up with, and was so great to hear.  There were plenty of ‘young people’ as well who were into it.  Their knack for writing a hook, combined with good vocals, and a touch of southern flair, really made them a unique band.  Personally, I would put Back Where you Belong, Caught Up In You, and Second Chance on an ‘80s Best List’.  If you have never seen them live, do yourself a favor and get to a show.  38 Special will deliver good music and a good time!

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