A wise man named Huey Lewis once sang a tale about the heart of Rock 'n' Roll. Well, rest assured that the heart and soul of Rock 'n' Roll are alive and well. If you need proof, you'll find it in Las Vegas-based band Adelitas Way.
On Sunday night, here at Portland's own Hawthorne Theatre, Rick DeJesus, Trevor Stafford, Andrew Cushing, and Art of Dying's Tavis Stanley put on a rock show that Portland won't soon forget. Adelitas Way played a very diverse set list including hard-hitting rockers like "Notorious," "Ready for War (Pray for Peace)" and "Criticize." Ballads "Tell Me" and "Alive" had the crowd singing along and swaying.
I had a chance to speak with singer Rick DeJesus prior to the show about bringing Tavis Stanley on as a permanent member of Adelitas Way. DeJesus wasn't able to confirm anything, but he did say, "We love Tavis and we know how he feels about us, so we'll see what happens."
Adelitas Way has a handful of dates left to play in California and Arizona before the year closes out. Then, they're off to the UK for a few dates in early 2019. During Sunday night's performance, however, DeJesus emphasized that as an independent band, they call their own shots and there aren't any rules for when they can play Portland again, assuring us that he loves Portland and can't wait to come back and play for us.
With new music in the works, here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.
