A Festival of Music at St. Francis De Sales

Doctor Wu – Tribute to Steely Dan

by Sal Gomez

The 2016 St. Francis De Sales Festival kicked off their weekend music festivities with a bam bomb zoom of musical styles…beginning with the line-up of the fantastic Dr. Wu Band – Steely Dan Tribute band, the always fun and fantastic Britain’s Finest – Beatles Tribute band, and closed out with the eternally youthful and gregarious Mark McGrath of the band Sugar Ray performing with The Altered Boyz.

Taken directly from the bands official Facebook page: “Doctor Wu was formed in 2000 with the intent of performing spot-on recreations of Steely Dan’s hits and well known album cuts. Our line-up includes: 3 vocalists, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar/vocals, drums, and a 3-piece horn section. Members of Doctor Wu have been featured on top selling recordings and world-wide radio. They have performed, recorded and appeared with acts as varying as Dave Benoit, Jay Graydon, Echo & the Bunnymen, Stanley Clark, UB40, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Poncho Sanchez, The Temptations and many, many more. This is an exciting group of professional players, with serious chops, who love to have fun and share the joy of performing the music of Steely Dan”. The bands official line-up can change from gig to gig so just to be safe and complete the band members are listed as: Tony Egan (Lead Vocals), Leigh DeMarche (Vocals), Jodi Fodor (Vocals), Mindy Ihrke (Vocals), Jennifer Stockert (Vocals), Gil Ayan (Guitar), Steve Bias (Bass and Vocals), Roch Bordenave (Trombone), Jeff Dellisanti (Saxophones), Mark Harrison (Keyboards), Paul Salvo (Trumpet), Frank Villafranca (Saxophones), Kurt Walther (Drums.

Set List

Josie

Don’t Take Me Alive

Black Friday

Peg

Pretzel Logic

My Old School

Bodhisattva

Britain’s Finest – Beatles Tribute

The Beatles Tribute Band “Britain’s Finest” is a local L.A. Based band that has been honored several times in top 10 lists of the best tribute in town and on Friday night they proved just how much fun they can be. Without a set script to stifle their on stage banter the band conveys the feeling of what the experience must’ve been like to see The Beatles live in the days before fame caved in on them. The band consists of Benjamin Chadwick as Paul, Robert Bielma at George, newest member and a fine Lennon indeed is Ruben Amaya & Luis Renteria who on this night was represented by the fantastic Russ Noel as Ringo.

Set List

I Want To Hold Your Hand

Please Please Me

From Me To You

All My Loving

Hard Day’s Night

Help

Can’t Buy Me Love

Slow Down

I Saw Here Standing There

She Loves You

Encore

Roll Over Beethoven

Robert Bielma – Britain’s Finest

Mark McGrath

Mark McGrath burst onto the music scene straight out of Newport Beach in the mid 90’s with his band Sugar Ray with catchy music and magazine cover good looks but the proof is in the pudding and Sugar Ray and Mark McGrath have proven to have lasting talent and staying power. Along with his great music and down to earth personality Mark McGrath has become one of the most approachable personalities in music today and on Friday night before hitting that stage all the photo ops and autograph request were all honored and time was spent with everyone that courageously asked for a few moments. Then it was time to perform. The Altered Boyz began the set and then they introduced Mark. As an added bonus Mark brought on stage with him the ultra talented Trevor Lukather to play guitar on the first number. Rock royalty lives on.

Set List

Every Morning

Someday

When It’s Over

Trevor Lukather

Mark McGrath

Mark McGrath

With the music portion of the festival hosted by Breakfast With The Beatles Chris Carter and his lovely wife Allyson, the St Francis De Sales festival has turned into a annual event with and amazing line-up of entertainment. Look for their 2017 event and follow them on Facebook.