POP MUSIC REVIEWS : VAUGHAN STRIKES UP THE BLAND

As rock’s reigning guitar hero (blues-rock division), Stevie Ray Vaughan presides over a limited but loyal following whose demands are as uncomplicated as a menu at a Texas roadhouse: They want plenty of riffs, plenty of solos and they want to get down! Austin-based Vaughan and his three musicians delivered to the fans’ satisfaction Saturday at the Greek Theatre, but he could have used use a little audacity to go with his dexterity; where was the wildness that made his National Anthem on the opening day of the baseball season such a cause celebre?

Vaughan did eventually branch out and mix it up, scoring well on a Hendrix homage near the end of the set. But the real problem was his surprising blandness on stage. No mystique, no swagger, no showmanship--even when Vaughan played guitar behind his back, he did it with utter lack of flair.

He was dressed like a gaudy gaucho, and with any sense of theatricality he could have pulled off a full-blown, semi-mythical character a la Willy De Ville. Lacking that, he could at least project some natural personality, but he kept himself concealed in the shadow of his wide-brimmed hat. For a while it was refreshing to see an act forgo the usual “How ya doin’ L.A.?” cliches. But, hey, Stevie, don’t you want to know how we’re doin’?