Thursday, April 5, 1S34
Daily Nebraskan
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Clockwise from lower left: Jimmy Vaughan,
Keith Ferguson, the band en iassse, Kim
Wilson, Fran Christina and T-Dird guitar
which has seen better days.
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The Fabulous Thunderbirds, a band from Aus
tin, Texas, came to the Royal Grove Tuesday night
with one thing in mind: party.
And partying is what this rhythm and blues
band did. Flaying a mix of originals and R and B
greats, the band members Jiir.mie Vaughn (gui
tar), Kim Wilson (harmonica and vocals), Keith
Ferguson (bass) and Fran Christina (drums and
vocals) tore it up for about 00 dancing fans.
The band socializes in playing for clubs that
can held l,C0O people, Christina said. Cut even in
under-capacity situations, he said, "Clubs would
rather have the Thunderbirds and half capacity
than a full house with any ether band "
" Christina said the music they play and the
energy they exude on stage creates the atmos
phere for heavy drinking
They played to an enthusiastic crowd for more
than two hours including ..two fan-induced en
cores. The music showed signs of their Texas up
bringing. Rhythmic guitar and screaming har
monica solos dominated most of their songs, but
it was the soulful rhythm that set toes tapping.
Ferguson has a backstage part in the band's
performances, but his consistant heart-grabbing
bass ines provide the band's dance beat. Playing
the "second fiddle" to Vaughan's behind-the-back
leads and Wilson's on-stage dancing doesn't seem
to bother Ferguson. "It's my job," he said.
The job aijo has other benefits; it gives Fergu
son lots of time to down beer and smoke without
worrying about falling down. "I'd rather have it
this way," Ferguson said. .
Christina, another player on the back burner,
provides plsbian drum playing for the band, but
tal:cs a dirrcrent approach to his job. Often
throwing sticks to the crowd, once almost knock
ing out a bopping bystander, and intimidating the
road crew on the stage wings, Christina obviously
enjoys performing before a live audience.
Daring one bit cf on-stage horseplay., Christina
fell from his stool and off the stage during one of
Vaughan's solos.
Worse things have happened to Christina on
stage. At a concert in New York, opening for the
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Doobie Brothers, The T-Birds weren't well received.
Christina said they weren't on the marquee and
the audience was expecting to see the Doobie
Brothers come on stage rather than the Fabulous
Thunderbirds. On the way up the stairs to the
stage the T-Birds could hear the crowd cheering;
unfortunately, the audience's enthusiasm was
meant for the Doobies.
By the time the band began to play, the audience '.
had become a lynch mob, throwing things and
demanding that the band give up their stage for
the Doobie Brothers. The band began to leave
the stage, but on the way out Christina stood on
his stool and mooned 25,000 people.
"It was the only applause we got" Christina
' said. '
The Fabulous Thunderbirds have four albums
out. The most recent, T-Bird Ehythm, was pro
duced by Nick Lowe on the Chrysalis label Their
next album should be out some time within the
year. After that they plan more touring, including
a stop in Omaha. A live album also is on the ,
agenda. ' . ,' "' -
