As much as I love hearing a classic rock band play the hits I grew up with, I love hearing them play new 
material even more. And judging by the audience at Coyote Joes, July 3 for Canadian classic rockers Harlequin, a lot of others felt the same way.
They played a lot of music from their latest CD, 2007’s ‘Waking The Jester,’ and frontman George Belanger let band mates bassist Nik Rivers, lead guitarist Derrick Gottfried and keyboardist / guitarist Darren Moore take lead vocals an some of the newer songs.
Gottfried sang a slower number called ‘How Long’ which was reminiscent of an early Harlequin hit, Thinking of You.”
Moore took the lead on a more modern, detuned grunge/nü metal styled song ‘Inbound Train’ which showed how the band has evolved from their classic rock roots. All the while Belanger played air guitar and belted out the hits.
Bassist Nik Rivers sang a definite highlight , ‘She’s My Girl.’
Moore switched effortlessly between keyboards and rhythm guitar whenever Gottfried took a solo.
And of course there were plenty of beloved hits like “Sweet Things in Life,”“Innocence” and “Superstitious Feeling.“
The last song featured a surreal moment on the dance floor as a guy stripped of his shirt and most of his pants and started dancing.
They were called back for an encore of Led Zeppelin hits including a dual guitar attack on “Whole Lotta Love and “Rock and Roll.”
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
