Richie Kotzen ambushes us emotionally at Sala Salamandra
Bands: Richie Kotzen + Susan Santos
Venue: Sala Salamandra – L’Hospitalet del Llobregat (Barcelona) – 17 June 2024
Promoter: Madness Live
Text: Òscar Saro (Sudando Rock)
Photos: Jordi Amela (@amela_photo_concert)
In collaboration with Sudando Rock (https://sudandorock.com/) and Metal Hammer (https://metalhammer.es/)
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, having sworn to tell the whole truth, I have no choice but to lay out for you every detail of what happened on the night of 17 June, and to name the guilty party and accomplices behind this glorious mishap…
Without a doubt, American guitarist Richie Kotzen was the main culprit behind what happened that Monday in June at Sala Salamandra. From a position close to the stage, I watched him fire directly and repeatedly at the hearts of the rock souls gathered in the room. Be advised that I myself was hit hard by this indiscriminate attack, and even shed a tear or two of emotion.
As for the murder weapon, I can confirm that throughout the concert he wielded a Fender Telecaster Richie Kotzen Signature, with an ash body, maple neck and gloss finish. It should be noted that I saw him repeatedly adjusting the tone control live. Perhaps that ploy is how he achieved such decidedly dangerous tonal variations.
Strange as it may seem, the evidence shows no guitar pick was ever found at the crime scene. Which is all the more striking, given the sheer speed of execution we witnessed at certain moments. Following this lead, I’ve been able to conclude that the true emotional trigger was Kotzen’s own highly personal technique. That distinctive «fingerpicking» style, which lets him achieve a unique sound and remarkable fluidity in his playing. A deeply expressive, emotive style — and, ultimately, a lethal one.
I’ll also note that I believe I can identify another emotional trigger in Kotzen’s versatility, and in his ability to blend different styles — rock, blues, jazz, funk — ultimately conjuring up the spirits of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan or even Prince on stage. Who could possibly resist such an explosive cocktail?
And I think it’s important to point out that all of this happened while Kotzen himself remained largely impassive and unflappable. In a sleeveless black t-shirt, sporting necklaces, rings and tattoos, barely addressing the crowd and offering little more than an elegant smile.
I would also name, as accomplices to the crime, his bandmates on stage: Dylan Wilson on bass and Kyle Hughes on drums. Both proved powerful and utterly uninhibited behind their instruments, forming, together with Kotzen, a tightly locked-in power trio.
And without a doubt, we can also point to Madness Live as indirect accomplices, guilty of bringing Kotzen to our stages, including a show at Sala La Riviera in Madrid alongside Extreme, or his appearance at the Rock Imperium Festival, still going on as we draft this report. They know what they’re doing.
For the record, here’s the documented setlist, in which we got to enjoy several of his usual classics, wrapping up with “Shapes of Things”, a Yardbirds cover, and his recently released latest single, “Cheap Shots”:
- “Losing My Mind”
- “War Paint”
- “Fooled Again”
- “Dogs”
- “Bad Situation”
- “Fear”
- “Love Is Blind”
- “Doin’ What the Devil Says to Do”
- “Help Me”
- “Peace Sign”
- “Remember”
- “Go Faster”
Encore:
- “Shapes of Things” (The Yardbirds cover)
- “Cheap Shots”
Since I’m being pressed to lay out every detail I can recall, I should add to the list of the guilty the very first artist to set foot on the crime scene: Susan Santos. A brilliant guitarist from Extremadura, now based in Madrid, self-taught and left-handed in her playing. She’s currently touring her sixth studio album, “Sonora”, which we’d already caught live back in February at Sala Upload. The set we saw at Sala Salamandra was shorter, just seven songs, but that was more than enough to find evidence of her guilt. Susan pulls off guitar solos that make her look like she’s being electrocuted. An electricity that’s genuinely contagious, and one that, that night, served as a potent breeding ground for what came after.
At this point in our confession, we must undoubtedly also name the two musicians accompanying Santos on this tour: David Salvador (bass) and Juli El Lento (drums).
I hope, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that my testimony serves to demonstrate the powerful side effects Richie Kotzen generates live, and to warn anyone who intends to stand among the crowd at one of his shows.