Exclusive audio from 1993: Paul Rodgers’ full concert in Vancouver, with Neal Schon on guitar!

By Steve Newton

On March 27, 1993, Paul Rodgers released his second solo album, Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters.

The legendary blues-rock crooner had brought together a stunning array of guitar players for that project, including Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Brian May, Steve Miller, Gary Moore, Trevor Rabin, Richie Sambora, Brian Setzer, Slash, and Neal Schon.

Less than two months later, on May 14, Rodgers played Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on the Muddy Water Blues Tour, and much to the delight of the city’s guitar freaks, brought Schon along to do the six-string damage.

I was in attendance at that gig, doing my rock ‘n’ roll duty as a concert reviewer, and so was producer/engineer Larry Anschell from Turtle Recording Studios. He was out back in his mobile recording studio, capturing the show for a live radio broadcast. Like me, he was a huge fan of Rodgers and Schon, both of whom came down into the back alley to visit the soundman in his recording truck for a while.

“Neal Schon was very friendly and really made the night incredible,” recalls Anschell, who provided a photo of Schon hangin’ out that night. “His playing is beyond description.”

I’ve gotta agree with Anschell on that. Schon was absolutely smokin’ hot the entire show, and Rodgers’ singing was impeccable as well. In fact the entire band–rounded out by drummer Deen Castronova and bassist Todd Jensen–was a force of nature, as you can hear for yourself.

Kudos to Larry Anschell for documenting this incredible piece of blues-rock history, keeping it safe for 32 years, and giving Ear of Newt the honour of posting it now.

Here’s the setlist.

1. “Can’t Get Enough” (Bad Company song)

2. “Louisiana Blues” (Muddy Waters cover)

3. “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” (Sonny Boy Williamson cover)

4. “Standing Around Crying” (Muddy Waters cover)

5. “She’s All Right” (Muddy Waters cover)

6. “Catfish Blues” (Robert Petway cover)

7. “Foxy Lady” (Jimi Hendrix cover)

8. “Little Wing” (Jimi Hendrix cover)

9. “Fire and Water” (Free song)

10. “Mr. Big” (Free song)

11. “The Hunter” (Albert King cover)

Encore:

10. “All Right Now” (Free song)

11. “Stone Free” (Jimi Hendrix cover)

Have a listen:

To hear the full audio of my 1997 and 2000 interviews with Paul Rodgers subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 500 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with rockers since 1982.