The lush Hammond B3 organ sound gave into a brief guitar solo while the rhythm section kept a welcoming upbeat groove. Tommy Castro launched into the chorus spiked with choppy guitar riffs. Castro had a “Bad Case of Love.” His version of the forlorn patient confessing to the love doctor of a miserable heart since she’s been gone is a fresh take on the classic B.B. King tune.
These blues masters rocked out 16 Toneladas in Valencia, Spain, for a rare afternoon club show before heading back to the States to continue their tour. Tommy Castro & The Painkillers kept it fresh—returning to a familiar venue where a friendly reunion vibe permeated the room.
In the next song, Castro proclaims endurance in “Can’t Keep A Good Man Down.” Whether bad luck or being a fool, you just can’t keep him down. Castro is a riff master and a clever lyricist.
Bassist Randy McDonald, keyboardist Mike Emerson, and drummer Stewart Burr are The Painkillers. Each are spotlight-worthy instrumentalists who exhibit a brotherhood forged from years of playing together. Intuitive showmen that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Fans stayed riveted when solo moments broke out. Obvious was how much fun they have together. An infectious energy.
The upbeat rocker “Woke Up And Smelled The Coffee” focused on that moment of clarity when his woman was no good for him. This single was the first of five new songs played from their 2025 Alligator records release, Closer to the Bone.
The other new songs were “One More Night” – A hammering guitar rocker with a danceable bass groove. Reminiscent of Billy Gibbons, the boogie “Everywhere I Go” had this catchy chorus that showed off the strength of the band’s backup vocals. “Freight Train (Let Me Ride)” takes the form of a 12-bar blues with slide guitar driving his plea to ride the rails. Note to Emerson’s bright juke-joint piano playing—an irresistible Memphis soul groove, “Can’t Catch A Break.” A hard-lucky admission: “If love is water, my well has run dry.”
Do yourself a solid and check out Closer to the Bone. You won’t be disappointed.
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers live are a powerhouse blues party leaving fans with a lingering afterglow. For west coast fans, don’t miss them live on tour this November.
Set List:
Bad Case of Love
Can’t Keep A Good Man Down
Woke Up And Smelled The Coffee
Gotta Lot
One More Nightbegging for one try
Nasty Habits
Blues Prisoner
Shakin’ The Hard Time Loose
Everywhere I Go
Freight Train (Let Me Ride)
Monkey’s Paradise
Make It Back to Memphis
Can’t Catch A Break
Serves Me Right To Suffer
