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To borrow and slightly bend a phrase, the parties involved in the latest, seventh annual edition of the "Happy Together" tour, on and off stage, seemed suitable happy together in concert at The Granada on Wednesday night, and occasionally slap-happy.
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This year's slate, all backed by a single tight and impressive backup band: Spencer Davis, the Cowsills (making their tour debut - they told us that before this year, they just weren't "old enough" for the gig), Gary Puckett, Mark Lindsay from Paul Revere and the Raiders, Chuck Negron from Three Dog Night, and the climactic set by the Turtles.
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On this bill, the Cowsills possibly stole this show, at least in terms of a fresh sound on the tour, and a solid presentation of a unique and influential back story. The Cowsills family band, the inspiration for TV's "The Partridge Family," has a closely-harmonizing brood of siblings now down to Susan, Paul and Bob, after other siblings died.
(On a local note, their story was told in an intriguing documentary that had its premiere - now watchable through their website - at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival).
Back then, and at the Graneda, they made hale, cheerful, silly and occasionally clever pop, without apology, as we were reminded by mini-set including "Make Me Happy," "Hair" and the theme song to "Love Amerian Style," a wondrously stylish bit of fluff one you get past the kitsch of it all.
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