Columnist Jerry Fink: Dozers entrenched in classic rock ‘n’ roll

Friday, March 15, 2002 | 9:20 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@lasvegassun.com at (702) 259-4058.

Phil Dirt and the Dozers isn't exactly a dance band, but when you hear golden oldies rock 'n' roll done really well -- you just can't not dance.

And the Dozers (who do anything but doze when they're onstage) do it really, really well.

When elderly women put aside their walkers and shuffle onto the dance floor to groove to the classic rock sounds of the '50s and '60s, you know the music has to be good.

I heard the band at the Castaways' Windjammer Lounge one night last week, when it performed for a room that was only half full. They were so good I returned the following night. The place was packed.

It doesn't take long for word to travel that the Dozers are rumbling through town. If you like old-time rock 'n' roll, circle your calenders -- the band will be back at the Castaways April 4-6.

The Dozers are a popular Midwestern band from Columbus, Ohio. Their many fans are primarily in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, where they have been performing for about 20 years at fairs, concerts and corporate gigs.

They remind me somewhat of Ricky & the Redstreaks, a rock 'n' roll band that came together in 1968 and seems to be frozen in time.

The Redstreaks, who perform before thousands in Las Vegas each year during the National Finals Rodeo, have cult-like fans who swarm to their shows -- which are as much about onstage antics as music.

Musically, the Dozers are the better of the two bands, and more serious about their music. But the Dozers, who are searching for a showroom in Las Vegas, can learn a lot from the Redstreaks about showmanship.

The Dozers do have their funny moments -- they do a hilarious takeoff on the Village People. The band becomes the Retirement Village People and sings "AARP" to the tune of the classic "YMCA."

And the Dozers have a bit in which they demonstrate how they learned the Platter's hit, "Only You," from a dusty, scratched 45 rpm vinyl record. As they sing, they include the scratches and the stuck needle.

But bottom line it's the music -- which is a tribute to an era -- that keeps fans coming back, not the humor.

Their repertoire includes songs by Elvis (of course), but also Jackie Wilson ("Lonely Teardrops"), Carl Perkins ("Blue Suede Shoes"), the Beach Boys ("Surfin' Safari") and many, many more.

They even jog the memory of the old-timers in the audience with Eddie Holman's one major hit record from 1970, "Hey There, Lonely Girl."

The group has performed with some of the major names in the music business: The Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ray Charles and the Coasters, to name a few.

The five members of the band are multitalented.

Lead singer Steve Cabot plays keyboards, sax, drums and guitar. He joined a group in 1966 that became Phil Dirt and the Dozers in 1981.

Keyboardist Mark Frye, who joined the Dozers in 1983, plays sax, flute and bass guitar. His brother, Rick (who also joined in '83) plays drums and sings.

Tony Alfano (vocals and guitar) has been with the group since '93, and guitarist/vocalist Craig Goodwin (a professional musician for 30 years) joined last year.

Mark Frye, the band's spokesman, says there is nothing significant about the name Phil Dirt.

"We just thought it was a great name for an old rock 'n' roll group," he said.

Most of their gigs are one-night stands.

"Sometimes we spend six to eight hours on a bus to play for an hour, then we get on the bus and go home," Frye said.

The Dozers have played many corporate functions in Las Vegas over the years, but in December the members decided they would try to establish a more permanent presence.

"We're getting old," Frye said. "We wouldn't mind spending three months at a time here. We think this is a good market for what we do."

To test the waters, they have performed monthly gigs at the Castaways since January -- one weekend each month. But the first weekend in April will be their last time here for a while.

"We're getting into our busy season," Frye said. "We have 25 dates a month in the summer -- all one nighters."

He said the band's success is a bit of a surprise.

"We weren't looking to do this time full time in the beginning," Frye said.

Their success seems to lie in their rapport with their audience, their relatively wholesome approach to the show and their great harmonizing and instrumentation.

"Many times we hear oldies bands typecast as being cheesy," Frye said. "We try to do it with real quality. We try to be true to the original music, but with a little twist. We do some fun stuff."

And when you see and hear Phil Dirt and the Dozers, you can't not have fun.

Lounging around

Singer Grant Griffin (who occasionally may be heard at the Bootlegger and other local lounges) was the centerpiece for a wonderful evening of entertainment at a concert last week to raise funds for the Southern Nevada Opera Association. While Griffin's melodious baritone was a highlight of the "Magical Mystical Night of Music," in The Orleans Showroom, he was not alone in creating a memorable evening for a standing-room-only audience. Opera star Patricia Welch and vocalist Jeneane Marie were outstanding in their segments. Griffin credited producer/director Larry Hart ("Sisterella") with creating a flawless show.

The Boulder Blues series Thursday will feature the Smokin' Joe Kubek Band with vocalist Bnois King. Performances in the Railhead will be at 8 and 10 p.m.

Curtis May, an outstanding keyboardist and vocalist, performs Fridays and Saturdays at the Dakota nightclub and restaurant on East Sahara Avenue. It's a great place for dancers. Music is from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. on Friday and 10 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday.

Sunday is St. Patrick's Day. Thankfully, the Irish are now well-represented on the local pub scene. If you need a place to celebrate, you might try the most recent addition -- Fado's Irish Pub at Green Valley Ranch Station Casino. Or check out one of the other tavern's on the growing list, which includes Brendan's, Finnegan's, Jack's, J.C. Wooloughan, Mahoney's, Moose McGillycuddy's, Michael's, Mulligan's, Murphy's, Paddy's and Sean Patrick's.