Herb Rodd - Caught in the Act

Caught in the Act

Tony Packo's Cafe (Sylvania, Ohio) 16 January 1999

I was getting ready to watch Tyson's latest debacle, but wanted to grab a
quick bite to eat so the family and I headed over to Tony Packo's for some
dee-licious hunky cooking! As is the rule of weekend thumb, the
bespectacled troubadour, Herb Rodd, was playing his usual interesting
cross-section of music. I got there a little late, but caught his second set,
which started with the Everly Brother's "Wake Up Little Susie" and the
kiddie-tune "Itsy Bitsy Spider" which heralded rousing applause from the
packed house. Jim Croce's "Operator" followed, as did one of my least
favorite songs of all time - Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville." Fortunately,
Rodd slowed the deplorable song down, making it more artistic-sounding
and bearable. Next came the Pure Prairie League's "Amie," the Mamas &
the Papa's "California Dreaming" and Hootie & the Blowfish's "Hold My
Hand." As my dinner arrived (the yummy 'Cabbage Creation), Herb stole
through another children's tune "Wheels of the Bus Go Round and Round",
"Rockytop," and one of Herb's personal best Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man."
It seemed like Rodd had less room to move around on this particular
evening. On top of there being stuff stacked in his usual stage area, the
place was booming with business, and servers were whizzing by left and
right. But the shut-in Rodd made the best of it slinging out versions of the
Everly Brother's "All I Have To Do is Dream," as well as a Canadian double-
shot of Albnah Myle's "Black Velvet'' and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold." But
just then, a group University of Michigan fratguys stormed the stage, and
began singing some radio-song drivel (I recognized the song, but couldn't tell
you who wrote it). One even grabbed the guitar and played with two straws
dangling out of his nose. They ended with chants of "Go Blue!," and stormed
out apparently on their way to Youngstown as part of a scavenger hunt. The
pace settled back in to its original groove, and Rodd performed John
Melencamp's "Rumbleseat," John Denver's "Leaving on A Jetplane" and Van
Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl". Typically, I go see original artists perform
their own material for better or worse, but if you're going to catch a cover band
or acoustic artist (and maybe catch a little dinner), make sure the band
in question has a decent set-list. Herb Rodd is a human jukebox, and can
cover songs from substantial artists that most of these so-called cover
bands have never even heard of. Know your history!

Reproduced with permission. The Glass Eye, PO Box 2507, Toledo, Ohio,
43606-0507, Volume 5, Issue 10, February, 1999