BWW Reviews: Usually Marvelous LAUREN FOX Missteps With New Show Chronicling Groupies Who Bedded and/or Inspired Rock Legends

With her new show at the Metropolitan Room that opened last night-Groupies: The Muses Behind the Legends of Rock & Roll--the usually smart and meticulous Lauren Fox (as evidenced by her shows that celebrated the music of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen and later the Pop/Rock that emerged from Laurel Canyon in the 1960s) has here chosen questionable territory--the celebration of women who serially slept their way through the music business or, as Fox more poetically says, "Made it their life's mission to meet the beautiful boys who made the music that moved them." Hook-ups are exemplified by often unappealing numbers (too much monotone) and bridged with quotes by groupies whose role as "muses" or sources of creative inspiration seems a stretch.

This is not to say that Fox hasn't copiously researched her material (which is obvious, although there's unfortunately too much exposition) or that she isn't thoroughly invested (which is apparent) or that she doesn't flex her acting skills. There's some good performance here. Arrangements are textured and engaging and the band--Jon Weber: Musical Director/piano, Ritt Henn: bass guitar, Peter Calo: guitar and mandolin--is first rate. Calo especially has some splendid, evocative solos. The three musicians double as backup singers with such infectious brio, they add real dimension.

Of the successful musical numbers, "I'm a Ramblin' Man" (written by Ray Penington and made famous by Waylon Jennings) is ebullient, hee-haw country. Perfectly adapting, Fox sings "arawound" for around. Heads bob, smiles emerge. Vocal on Eric Clapton's "Layla" is soulful and pained with palpably affecting piano and a riff by Calo that raises standards. Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" is invitingly low key and affectionate.

We hear about and from Pamela Des Barres, who bedded an astonishing number of major (and minor) rock figures, becoming a member of the only known musical group made up of groupies, The GTOs: Girls Together Outrageously, a 13-year-old nymphet named "Laurie Lightening," her usurping friend Bebe Buell, Catherine James, Pattie Boyd (the first wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, remember?), Marianne Faithful, and Stevie Nicks. Many of these women had brief relationships with the same men in a period of flagrant musical chairs. Most wrote memoirs. All seem naïve and self-serving.

"Wild Horses" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards), a phrase ostensibly voiced by Jagger at the bedside of drug-overdosed Marianne Faithful, erupts in a textural whomp. It's big, resonant exhilarating. Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" (Lindsay Buckingham) is substantiated by credible anger and regret, buoyed by rhythmic guitar: Tell me why everything turned around?/Packing up, shacking up's all you want to do/If I could baby I'd give you my world/Open up everything's waiting for you. Context is all. Several of these songs are far from indicative of the excellent lyrics that came out of the period.

"Tiny Dancer" (Elton John/Bernie Taupin), as manifest in the film Almost Famous when passengers on the tour bus join in singing one by one, is presented as illustrating the unifying bond of music. We end on a high note.

Lauren Fox is capable of much better work.

Lauren Fox will perform Groupies--The Muses Behind the Legends of Rock & Roll at the Metropolitan Room on June 11 and July 1, both shows at 9:30 pm. For tickets, go to: http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=189789

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