Steve Miller Played All the Hits in His Hometown of Dallas

The Steve Miller Band returned to Dos Equis Pavilion, in Miller’s hometown of Dallas, for a sweet homecoming show Sunday night. One of the most successful rock bands in history, the Steve Miller Band can still bring the heat.

On-the-rise blues guitar phenom Christone “Kingfish” Ingram kicked off the night. The thermometer read 100 degrees outside but the heat was just starting. It was clear that Kingfish was carefully chosen as an opener.

When the Steve Miller Band hit the stage, the group gave the fans exactly what they came for: all the hits. With a whopping 19 songs that charted on the Billboard charts and three No. 1 songs (perennial radio fodder such as “The Joker”) it almost felt like every song Miller played was familiar whether you’d heard it or not.

After running through a large portion of the show, Miller brought Kingfish back onto the stage for three songs, and Miller raved about the opener, saying Kingfish was stepping into the shoes of legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King, but now he’s “stepping into his own shoes” and making a name for himself.

What stood out most, however, was Steve Miller’s voice. At 79, his vocals are stronger than ever, and his lead guitar solos were just as intense.

The band was originally called the “Steve Miller Blues Band” until they released their first album – and that was a subplot of this show. Miller’s voice was crystal clear on the Rabon Tarrant cover of “Blues With a Feeling.” The song also showcased the greatness of Kingfish on guitar.

Another highlight was when the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer did the Paul Pena song he made famous, “Jet Airliner.” The band had already played the song close to album version earlier in the set, but Miller did an acoustic solo reprise that could not have been sweeter.

If you’re American, you probably grew up hearing Steve Miller band songs to the point that you may take them for granted. But in his hometown on Sunday, Miller brought them to life again, reminding us why we loved the music in the first place.