Pop Reviews : Impressive Solo Outing for Sambora

Don’t worry about guitarist Richie Sambora if and when his boss, Jon Bon Jovi, finally goes solo for good. Sambora’s show Tuesday at UCLA’s Royce Hall--mixing material from his new “Stranger in This Town” solo debut album, a few Bon Jovi numbers and a couple of blues and rock oldies--seemed like a dress rehearsal for an inevitable run at arena-rock stardom in his own right.

Truth is, Sambora has the goods: catchy (if cliched) riffs galore, prodigious guitar skills and a winning will to rock big time. He even brought along arena trappings to this relatively small theater, from a super-pro five-piece band to exaggerated lighting and smoke effects. The irony is that the best qualities of the show might not translate to arena scale. Sambora’s most impressive guitar playing was also his most restrained. He possesses a clean, Claptonesque touch and an honest, unaffected feel for the blues influence that peeked out at times from behind the big rock candy. Same for his singing--an excellent voice even when he is going for the inflated anthem effect, but best when he lets some of the air out and just sings.

Most significantly, his big, easy smile and genially involving demeanor might get lost in a bigger setting--though not his beefcake body, which drew young female squeals when he removed his jacket.