Little Steven's Rockin' Soul Power

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul - photo by John V

Little Steven, aka Steven Van Zandt, is an iconic figure in the New Jersey rock and roll scene, thanks to the unforgettable music he’s created with Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny. He’s also an actor, best known for his role as Silvio Dante on The Sopranos. Van Zandt’s output as a solo artist is also worth noting; his powerful work has often raised awareness on political issues like apartheid as much as it’s dealt with matters of love. On Tuesday night, Van Zandt and his band, The Disciples of Soul, strode onto the stage at New Haven’s College Street Music Hall and treated the audience to an amazing show. Kicking things off with the love and brotherhood anthem “Communion” from his latest album, Summer of Sorcery, Little Steven and the band blazed through almost two and a half hours of thrilling rock and soul, tossing in a dash of funk and reggae for good measure.

The concert was a fantastic trip through Van Zandt’s catalogue, combining a generous helping of cuts from Summer of Sorcery with music from throughout his career, including a stunning take on  “Los Desaparecidos.” One of the high points of the show was a three-song salute to Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, featuring “Little Girl So Fine,” followed by “Trapped Again” and a terrific run through of “Love on the Wrong Side of Town.” That tasty trio of classic tunes brought the audience to their feet, on a night where the crowd sang and danced along for much of the show. Van Zandt followed those songs with a knockout version of “A World of Our Own,” one of the best tracks on Summer of Sorcery, which recalls the Phil Spector Wall of Sound and the girl group-style harmonies of the 1960s.

Van Zandt said during the concert that he was mostly staying away from politics this time out, as he wanted the audience to enjoy themselves for a couple of hours, and forget about their troubles. But he did take some time out to praise teachers for their commitment (and apologized for everything he put his own teachers through in high school) just before performing the song “Education” and spoke briefly about women’s rights and the true nature of patriotism. Van Zandt and the band also treated us to a reggae-infused take on “I Am A Patriot,” a song that was famously covered by Jackson Browne. Other high points in a show filled with them were a down and dirty version of “I Visit The Blues” and the gloriously funky numbers “Gravity” and “Vortex.” Van Zandt’s vocals sounded great, and he provided some excellent guitar work as well.

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul - photo by John V

The super-sized band was top notch, featuring a wide array of guitarists, horn players and percussionists, as well as a terrific trio of backup singers. Van Zandt took an extra moment to introduce keyboard player Lowell Levinger, a veteran of the 1960s band The Youngbloods. Little Steven then led the crowd in a brief sing along of their hit “Get Together,” and urged everyone to get their hands on a Youngbloods album by “downloading it, no streaming!” Little Steven is a music lover and fan (he has his own Sirius XM channel, the Underground Garage) and he spoke throughout the night about the artists who inspired him and the songs that shaped his generation. He's a rocker with the heart of a soul man who's truly passionate about his music.

As the incredible evening of music edged toward its climax, the band ripped through the guitar-energized rocker “Superfly Terraplane” and slowed things back down for a lovely version of “Forever” to end the night. But that wasn’t really the end of the show, as the unbelievable encore included some dancing (on and off stage) for the enjoyable “Soul Power Twist” and a passionate audience sing along on “Sun City” a song that Van Zandt said “helped bring down an evil empire,” when it was originally released in 1985. The outstanding and dazzling night of music ended with a soulful version of “Out of the Darkness.” College Street Music Hall (one of the best music venues in the New Haven area) was the perfect place to see Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. I encourage you to check out other shows there, and to see the Little Steven and band on the road this summer. It's a rock and soul filled musical experience you won't soon forget!