By Michael Witthaus
The seven members of Beautiful Losers are more than a Bob Seger tribute band; they are among the best musicians in New Hampshire.
Drummer David Stefanelli will be off to Europe for his latest tour with Godsmack frontman Sully Erna after their Sept. 8 stop at Manchester’s Palace Theatre. The rest of the group have decades of experience performing in the region — each is Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours personified.
Leading the spirited rock ’n’ roll crew is Devin Cordeiro, and though he’s surrounded by the cream of the crop, good chops aren’t what sealed the deal for guys like guitarist Nate Comp, keyboard player Steve Baker, bassist Tim Archibald and a horn section of Carl and David Ayotte.
“The main thing is that they’re Seger fans,” Cordeiro said by telephone recently. “I didn’t want to get a heavy metal guy who was a shredder but didn’t care about the music. ... It’s all about playing to the song, and to do that you’ve gotta love it.”
The band stays in the sweet spot of Seger’s career, from his first big hit, “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” to his 1982 LP, The Distance.
Cordeiro said his favorite song is “Against the Wind,” because Seger’s everyman lyrics speak to him. Ditto the more uptempo “Brave Strangers,” rarely played by Seger but a regular part of Beautiful Losers’ set. “If you’re asking me which song rocks the hardest, though, I’d have to say ‘Bo Diddley’ from the Live Bullet album,” he said.
Cordeiro latched onto Michigan’s favorite son at age 6, saving up shoveling and paper money to see Seger and the Silver Bullet Band at Boston Garden four years later.
“It was October 1980, the night he recorded ‘Nine Tonight,’” he said. “I was hooked from then on.” Codeiro is lead singer in popular cover band Last Laugh; when he drops in an occasional Seger reference — “a little free jam verse, that kind of thing” — his bandmates “don’t get it.” When he conceived of a Seger tribute band, he was inspired by Beatlejuice, the all-star Beatles tribute act once led by late Boston singer Brad Delp.
“They don’t look a thing like them, but does anyone sound better?” he asked. “You can feel the love when they’re on stage.” He sought top players, never believing they’d all say yes. “I hit the jackpot,” he said. “Now, I just look forward to rehearsing with them. ... The music is so good.” Stefanelli, with his connections to another great live act of Seger’s era, the J. Geils Band — the drummer has played with Geils lead vocalist Peter Wolf — was a key recruit.
“I looked around at all the guys I’d known after all my years in the business and thought, who would be a fit for this, who would be a fit for that? I literally went for the top,” he said. “I figured, the worst they could say was no — why not get the best?”
When the group’s first bass player offered his services, Cordeiro quizzed him, asking for the name of the Silver Bullet Band’s bassist. “He told me Chris Campbell, and I said, ‘You’re in.’ No one but a real fan knows that,” he said. The group’s reputation even found its way to the source, Cordeiro reports. A few years back, he Facebook-friended Charlie Martin, the drummer on Live Bullet who was tragically paralyzed in a car accident days after the album’s release.
Along with telling stories of Seger’s early career, like playing to thousands at Detroit’s Silverdome one night, followed by a Chicago club date the next, Martin sized up Beautiful Losers after watching rehearsal videos. “He said, ‘There’s a ton of Seger cover bands in Michigan, way too many,’” Cordeiro said. “Then he told me, ‘You smoked ‘em all.’”
Because of band members’ many regular commitments, Beautiful Losers has played infrequently since forming in 2013, so every show is special. Cordeiro promises the band’s hometown show will be “no frills, no confetti bombs, just seven guys up there kicking ass to the songs, recreating the live feel. It will be a trip back in time to 1979.”
By Bill Copeland
The Beautiful Losers, a tribute to Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band, played to another of their sold out audiences last night at the Boathouse in Dracut, Massachusetts. With Boathouse manager Devin Cordeiro on lead vocals, the Beautiful Losers moved through several Seger classics in way that preserved their musical intent while maintaining the emotive qualities of one of the most soulful singer-songwriters in classic rock.
Opening cut “Roll Me Away” was infused with an energy from Steve Baker’s electric piano, tinkling the peppy ivory notes that gives this song its sweet edge. Vocalist Devin Cordeiro sang it with his raw, husky rasp, completing the feeling we all associate with this Seger hit. The evening’s quiet heroes were acoustic guitar player Carl Ayotte and substitute bass player Kevin Elder, who, although they stayed out of the limelight, maintained these same quality renditions.
Drummer Dave Stefanelli ushered in the more assertive side of Seger’s music on “Rambling Gambling Man.” Its jumpy groove was well metered. Its bouncy organ riffs reminded of Segar’s old R&B influences. From there, Cordeiro sang to the chugging sounds with his own kind of vocal authority.
The punchy “Feel Like A Number” had a driving beat from Stefanelli, a racing piano line from Baker, and a forceful vocal push from Cordeiro. Nate Comp whipped out assertive electric guitar chords. It all came together well in this number that we can all relate to.
Comp’s unfurling lead guitar melody carried Seger’s “Main Street” along through its soft, quiet, but beautiful nostalgia. The band loaded this one with the feeling of reverie its revered for, and it reminded, as did many of last night’s numbers, Segae can rock you while stirring your emotions.
It was uncanny how well Cordeiro’s husky rasp worked with the gentle “Against The Wind.” He had a feel for the songs that he brought forward to capture their spirit without sinking into a Seger impersonation. The combination of strong personality and gentle, respectful perspective made Segar hits so likable, and that was another aspect Beautiful Losers captured last night.
A blaring saxophone by Dave Ayotte and Stefanelli’s drumming pounded “Rock And Roll Never Forgets.” Cordeiro’s booming low tenor carried well over the oldies influenced classic rock gem. “Night Moves” flowed with a graceful unison before “Even Now” got more of an emotional belt from the singer. Keyboardist Baker soloed with “Honky Tonk Train Blues” by Mead Lux Lewis. It was a nice change of pace, as was a rollicking drum solo by Stefanelli later in the evening.
Keyboards and sax were crucial in bringing “Old Time Rock And Roll” to three dimensional life before tight ensemble playing and earthy vocals worked well for “Sunspot Baby.” The band’s take on “Fire Lake” benefited by cooing background vocals. A highlight was when the singer and players met the challenge of performing “Turn The Page” with the same emotional content that the tune is known for. The forlorn saxophone and lonesome man vocals were beautifully rendered and the group drew several couples onto the dance floor.
Beautiful Losers took on the unenviable challenge of playing their take on Seger and the Bullet Band’s rendition of “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and they made it sound like a Seger rendition, thanks to flinty lead guitar work and driving passion from the rest. “Fire Down Below” got the band’s assertive rock treatment while maintaining its subtle shifts. Another highlight was their handling of “Beautiful Loser,” capturing the spirit of that song that reminds all of us of at least one person we know.
Cordeiro finessed the lyrical nuances to “Travelin‘ Man,” keeping it true to the original in emotion. Stefanelli kept the band steady and rocking on close out number “Hollywood Nights,” another with momentum and feeling.
The Beautiful Losers are truly professional musicians who know how to keep Seger tunes at once rocking and emotive. They passed that test with flying colors last night, and occasional glitches were easily over looked. Judging by the packed room at The Boathouse last night, it is easy to imagine this outfit becoming one of the biggest tribute band draws in New England.
