A Timeless Journey with America: A Night of Classic Hits at Lyric Baltimore

America, a band that has been crisscrossing our nation for more than half a century, pulled its tour bus into Charm City on Friday for an early evening, taking us back through years of hits. But first, a brief refresher course might be in order for many of our various sociologically defined generational readers, because America, you see, was formed in – gasp – London, England, of all places way back in 1970. ‘WHAT?’ you might ask. London, England? But…but…AMERICA! Well, at the time, teens Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley were all sons of U.S. Air Force personnel who were stationed in the city back in those fractious days. It simply made sense.

Sadly, time has claimed its victims. While Dan Peek left the band in 1977 to engage in other musical pursuits, he passed away in 2011. Longtime remaining partner, sidekick, co-writer…you name it…Gerry Beckley retired from touring earlier this year, leaving Dewey as the sole original member to carry the torch.

This brings us to Friday night at Lyric Baltimore. A mature crowd ambled in, and the concert began with a very clever video of America’s songs that have been included in backgrounds and dialogues of movies and TV shows for decades. This in itself was well done and entertaining, and I hope it ends up on YouTube at some point.

Out comes America, and they launch into “Tin Man,” one of the most familiar songs of the mid-to late-1970s. I know. I was there. They next slide into an old Russ Ballard cover, “You Can Do Magic,” though a cover, it is primarily associated with America. “Don’t Cross the River” and “Riverside” were another couple of peppy pick-me-ups, and we then hit a double play of chill-out tunes, “I Need You” and “Here.”

We had a series of classics, listed below, but things really started shaking up again with two defining moments of the decade – covers of “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas & the Papas and Neil Young’s riveting “Cinnamon Girl.” “Lonely People” was up next, followed by a powerful one-two concluding punch of “Sandman” and “Sister Golden Hair.”

There is no “concluding punch” without their most famous song, “A Horse With No Name.” After a blessedly brief stop off stage, the band came back for that special nugget, concluding the night with “America loves you!” And “America,” this crowd at Lyric Baltimore definitely loved you back.

Photos (c) David Fang