Though the weather outside was frightful, Thursday evening inside The Encore Theatre Musical Company, the audience was treated to some classic rock hits from the Bob Seger Tribute concert. Featuring Jason Briggs, Leah Gittlin, Ash Moran and Geoff Packard, they put their unique touches on classic Seger hits.
The group was backed up by a sensational band, led by music director, arrangements and keyboard player R. Mackenzie Lewis, Terry Farmer on lead guitar, Aidyn Connor playing bass and Joe Mowatt on drums. Together, with the singers, they put together ninety minutes of memories and fun.
The four singers launched right into some rock & roll singing “Hollywood Nights.” Changing tempos, Moran, fresh from her role as Olaf in the recent Encore production of Frozen, sang “Night Moves” while Packard joined singing “Against the Wind,” in an arrangement designed by Lewis.
Ash Moran with Geoff Packard playing guitar. Photo by Jessica Grove.
The concert blended a mix of ballads with Seger’s rock standards. Gittlen delivered a rousing version of “Roll Me Away” followed by Briggs’ “Rambling Gambling Man.” Packard, a professor at the UM Schol of Music, Theatre and Dance, and a veteran of the Broadway stage, slowed things down with “Mainstreet.” In announcing the song, Packard asked the audience to name the Ann Arbor street the song was about. One audience member shouted, “Ann Street,” and Packard said “yes, Ann Street.”
Leah Gittlen singing “Her Strut”. Photo by Jessica Grove.
Packard’s voice did very well with Seger ballads and more up-tempo numbers. Donning a black leather jacket, he sang a rendition of “Shakedown” and later “Beautiful Loser.” Briggs knocked the high energy Seger hits out of the park, with his version of “Katmandu” and “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” had people singing and clapping along.
Geoff Packard singing “Shakedown”. Photo by Jessica Grove.
Moran tackled the more musically difficult numbers with precision and passion. She gave soulful versions of “Blue Monday” and “Downtown Train” and joined Gittlen to deliver a stunning “We’ve Got Tonight.”
Gittlen showed off her range singing classics like “Like A Rock” and “Her Strut.” When needed, she could belt with the best of them.
And when the time came to say goodbye to Seger and his music, the quartet ended the concert in exactly the way everyone hoped for. Mackenzie fingers played the notes everyone knew; Visions of Tom Cruise holding a fake mike in his hand, while in his underwear in the movie “Risky Business.” Then Briggs belted out the iconic words:
“Just take those records off the shelf, I’ll sit and listen to them by myself. Today’s music ain’t got the same soul. I’ll take that old time rock and roll.” All four singers took turns singing a verse, encouraging the audience to join in singing with them. The evening ended with people knowing they had just enjoyed a short walk down memory lane.
The Seger tribute concert has performances through Feb. 8th. Tickets can be purchased at theencoretheatre.org or by calling (734) 268-6200.
Featured photo: Jason Briggs singing “Hollywood Nights” with Leah Gittlen & Geoff Packard. Photo by Jessica Grove.
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