Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames – Hey Nonny, Arlington Hts., Jan. 18, 2025

Article & Photos: Jim Summaria

L to R -- Rogers Randle, Dave Weld, Monica Myhre

Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames w/

Monica Myhre, Jeff Taylor, Rogers Randle, Harry Yaseen, EG McDaniel

Live Show Review & Photos

by Jim Summaria

If you like authentic and energetic house rockin’ blues, then Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames is the band to see. They rocked a full house at Hey Nonny in Arlington Hts. on Saturday, January 18. The band definitely has their own musical style and is a strong blend of talented musicians.

The band is led by guitarist Dave Weld, whose unique technique of playing makes you wonder how he is getting those sounds out of his guitar. Not to mention, he also plays a mean slide guitar. His early influences are blues legends Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King and Lightnin' Hopkins. Weld studied with jazz man Kurt Black and was mentored by slide master J. B. Hutto (Lil’ Ed Williams’uncle). He learned his lessons well. He was with Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials from the late 1970s until 1988. Weld has played alongside so many great blues artists, notably Otis Rush, Gatemouth Brown and Hound Dog Taylor's band, the House Rockers.

Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames won the 2019 Windy City Blues Society Blues Challenge which sent them to Memphis to compete in the IBC competition – where they made it to the finals.

 Their 2022 album Nightwalk  (Delmark Records) was nominated for a 2023 Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album and was also nominated by Blues Blast Magazine for Contemporary Blues Album.

The Imperial Flames is made up of exceptional veteran blues artists --drummer and  vocalist Jeff Taylor, lead vocalist and percussionist Monica Myhre, Harry Yaseen on keys, Rogers Randle on saxophone and bassist E.G. McDaniel (son of notable blues artist, the late Floyd McDaniel). Weld also shares lead vocals with Myhre. Not only does the band cook, but they play with passion, have a great time on stage and really know how to entertain an audience.

L to R: Rogers Randle, Dave Weld, Monica Myhre, Jeff Taylor, EG McDaniel, Harry Yaseen

Right off the bat, the packed audience at Hey Nonny felt the energy level of the band. Weld blasted some chords, attacked his slide and sang lead vocals while Myhre backed him on "May Be Right, May Be Wrong" from their 2015 Delmark album Slip Into a Dream. This led to the title track from that album. The song "Slip Into a Dream" was performed with a sexy sax solo by Randle and Myhre delivering a sultry lead vocal.

"Don't Tell Mama" from the Nightwalk album is a great boogie song. Myhre rocks out on her vocal with Weld playing a very passionate (Buddy Guy influenced) lead and a terrific solo by Yaseen on the organ. Weld took the lead vocal on "Don't Ever Change Your Ways" also from the Nightwalk album. Again, he was hitting notes on his slide playing that make you just shake your head and smile. The drumming of Taylor and bass playing of McDaniel kept the pace going at a quick clip.  

Back to the Slip Into a Dream album and a nice, slow, sensuous Chicago style blues song, "Walk on Down," that featured Monica’s powerful pipes and Yaseen doing a beautiful piano solo. Two cool songs from the Nightwalk album followed. Up first was "Red Hot Tabasco" with a red hot rhumba beat from Taylor and Weld singing lead vocal. He then decided to take his guitar through the crowd and play his lead right at them, including standing on a table top. The crowd loved it! Back on stage Myhre had to follow that showmanship with a lovely vocal and her rhythmic maracas on the Santana influenced "A Donde Vas," while Randle blew his horn with another great solo that earned wild applause.

It was time for drummer Taylor to show his soulful vocal talent on the Louis Jordan blues standard "Let the Good Times Roll" and a medley of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" (co-written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) paired with Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang." Most people in the audience enjoyed singing along with Taylor.

Weld took lead vocal, with Myhre harmonizing, on a fun shuffle song

titled "Sweet Shiney Brown Eyes" from their 2010 album Burnin' Love.

Weld put on another amazing slide solo with piano man Yaseen matching him with a wonderful solo.

Back to the Nightwalk album for the funky "Travelin' Woman" featuring Myhre giving yet another bluesy vocal and passionate solos by Weld, Yaseen and Randle that you wished never ended. Weld next paid tribute to his mentor J.B. Hutto with his slow blues song "Now She's Gone." Again he journeyed into the crowd, playing an intense slide lead. He fell to his knees and got up on his own. I was impressed with that!

The band had a lot of fun with the danceable "Talk Dirty," a song they recorded back in 2010 on the Burnin' Love album. The audience clapped along with Myhre on the Jimmy Reed classic "Big Boss Man."

It was time to close the show and they picked the hard rocker "Tremble Tremble" from their Slip Into a Dream album. I think the band could have played all night long. It was a fun and entertaining evening. Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames should be seen and heard more often around town. If they ever come your way, don’t miss them!

About The Author: Jim Summaria began professionally photographing rock concerts in 1973 at the age of 19 when he became the staff photographer for the Chicago rock concert promoter Flip Side Productions. Jim's photos have been published in numerous books, magazines and CDs. His rock ‘n’ roll photos have been viewed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame on Rt.66 and the Grammy Awards. Jim and writer Mark Plotnick co-authored the books Classic Rock: Photographs From Yesterday & Today and the October 2024 release ‘70s Chicagoland Rock Concerts.  

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