Home›Reviews›Photo Blog Show Reviews›Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas at the Grove of Anaheim

Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas at the Grove of Anaheim

February 3, 2022

Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas played the Grove of Anaheim Saturday Night. In 1967 Jefferson Airplane formed in San Francisco, CA as a psychedelic Rock group. When Jefferson Airplane came to an end in 1973, Jefferson Starship was formed a year later and included former Airplane members Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, and David Freiberg. Mickey Thomas replaced Balin in Jefferson Starship performing on their last four albums before regrouping again in the 90s. Fast forward to 1984 came the birth of Starship with Slick and Mickey Thomas which was more pop rock with the evolving sound of rock in the 80s. In 1992 the group became known as Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas the same year Jefferson Starship reformed with Kantner.

Thomas is the only member to be on all four Starship releases. Their debut platinum selling album "Knee Deep in the Hooplah" included two number ones "Sara" and "We Built This City," and hit number seven on the Billboard Hot 200. Not only was Thomas the singer for Starship, he was also the singer on five Elvin Bishop Group albums. Thomas has also released five solo albums. Starship's lineup consists of Darrell Verdusco (Drums) and Phil Bennett (Keys) who both joined in 1995, bassist Jeff Adams (2000), lead guitarist John Roth (2012) and newest member Cian Coey (Lead/backing vocals) who joined just last year.

The setlist included songs from not only Starship but Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Airplane, and Elvin Bishop. The Starship hits included "Sara," "Nothing's Going to Stop Us Now," and "We Built This City." Thomas also performed Jefferson Starship's number one hit "Jane" which he sang the original lead vocals for as well as Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love” which he also sang on the original recording. They also played homage to Jefferson Airplane plane with a medley of "White Rabbit," "Miracles," "Count on Me," and "Somebody to Love." Thomas still has his soaring voice and to describe the band in one word would be explosive. From beginning to end there was a lot of energy on that stage and Coey sings Slick’s vocals incredibly. The setlist was 12 songs total and even included a cover of The Beatles “Rocky Racoon.” The show concluded with “Find Your Way Back,” and “Rock Music.”