The Mavericks Rock Milwaukee Day

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On Friday, the Mavericks provided the soundtrack to a sold-out Pabst Theater on Milwaukee Day

Drawing from over three decades, Raul Malo and the Mavericks versatility drew from a wide palette of sounds from pop and country to traditional folk tunes to psychedelic excursions. The core quartet of Malo (vocals and guitar), drummer Paul Deakin, Jerry Dale McFadden on keyboards and lead guitarist Eddie Perez were joined by a horn section that conjured mariachi sounds and a young button accordeon player blazing on conjunto polkas.

In 2020 the Mavericks released En Español, an album of standards drawing from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, and France via Spain, and this concert drew from that material as well as favorites like “Back in Your Arms Again” and the encore of “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.” Throughout the evening, Malo’s penchant for Orbisonesque drama and a pulsing rhythmic Latin tinge was a perfect prescription. As a crooner, Malo could do no wrong, moving from the chestnut “Blue Moon” to “Forgive Me” an original tune that might have masqueraded as a lost Johnny Mathis B-side with Floyd Cramer playing piano.

Dance Party

It seemed like every few songs the house lights would come up, illuminating the dance floor as well as folks at their seats dancing nonstop. Malo played to the back row as if the Pabst were an arena and the audience responded. He was also generous with the spotlight giving plenty of solos to the instrumentalists and cheering them on. And if you were looking for treble, you came to the right place. Eddie Perez’ Telecaster sounds seamlessly moved from Bakersfield twang to reverb-drenched surf to smoldering blues.

The evening peaked with “Every Little Thing About You,” which morphed into a psychedelic rave-up that had concert goers nearly checking their ticket stubs to make sure they were at the right show. Set the controls for the heart of Old Havana, indeed.

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Opener, young McKinley James commanded the stage as if he were an old soul. Like a two-man Stax-Volt juggernaut, James was joined by drummer Jason Smay (who just happens to be James’ dad), whose resume includes playing with Los Straitjackets and J.D. McPherson—and was also seen keeping time with the Hi-Jivers at the Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom early 2020.