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The Immediate Family's time to shine

The Mint, Los Angeles, February 13, 2024

Reviewed by Dan MacIntosh

The Immediate Family is more than a rock documentary and also more than a group of famous Los Angeles studio musicians. It's also an honest to goodness semi-touring rock band, as well, and kicked off its current short tour at the tiny club in Los Angeles.

These players may not be household names, but if you listened to even a little Southern California rock music in the '70s, you've heard guitarists Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, and Steve Postell, as well as bassist Leland Sklar and drummer Russ Kunkel, more times than you can count. They were on so many of those records and played some of these songs (as well as some of their own) live for this house packed to the gills with diehard music nerds.

What you may not realize, however, is that Kortchmar also helped co-write some of Don Henley and James Taylor's songs, including "Honey, Don't Leave L.A.," which Taylor recorded and was the band's opening song this night, as well has Henley's "New York Minute," which came later in the set. He also helped pen Browne's hit, "Somebody's Baby," which was the act's second selection.

The group played some of its own music, too, including "Skin In The Game," the title track to its 2024 album.

Tonight's show went on without Waddy Wachtel, who is currently touring with Stevie Nicks. However, The Cars' Eliot Easton ably filled in. Although this new wave music star is from a slightly different era, he looked and sounded right at home. The band even played some Cars songs, like "Just What I Needed," "Good Times Roll," and even the beautiful ballad, "Drive."

With a three-guitar front, along with the amazing Sklar and steady Kunkel, the overall musicianship was just as solid as it gets. It's too bad Jackson Browne, who was in the audience, didn't get up and sing a few with the group. Then again, it was The Immediate Family's time to shine, and boy, did they.



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