Glory Daze

San Diego’s ’70s rock icons Glory and a number of other local acts reunited and united for the California Music Project, a program that raises money to keep music in our schools.

Fans arrived hoping the old "legends" still had something left in the tank. The all-local lineup also included Modern Rhythm, Private Domain, and Jerry Raney and the Farmers.

Modern Rhythm set the tone with a charged set, followed by a tight, concise Private Domain, which closed with their hit “Absolute Perfection.” The Farmers electrified the room with “Gloria” and their riotous “East County Woman.”

After all the hype and expectation, Glory, with Jack Butler, Greg Willis, Jack Pinney, Jerry Raney, and friends, took the stage. Judging from the response, this was the band that most in the crowded room came to see. They did not disappoint, especially after original vocalist Mike Millsap made a surprise appearance for his first gig in over 20 years.

The band dispensed with crowd banter and delivered a fast-paced set, cranking out songs such as “Slow Back” and “Shake It Easy,” which transported the Anthology crowd back to 1973. Raney and Butler traded nasty licks on each tune, driving Glory to sound as vibrant and unruly as they did when they were the top band in town. Glory ended the show with a cover of “I Wish You Would.”

The level of excitement continued well after the end of the show, as musicians and longtime fans crowded the stage. It was obvious this band really mattered to them. Jack Butler told me he experienced "a wash of adulation from fans who shared their remembrances of Glory."

• Concert: San Diego's Legends of Rock
• Date: May 26
• Venue: Anthology
• Seat: No, thank you