Blasters hitting Hard Rock with Lucky Cheats

The Blasters have an indestructible American-rock sound, but the people behind it are only human.

The California roots rockers are back in the ring after frontman Phil Alvin recovered from an emergency tracheotomy in Spain last summer.

Brother Dave Alvin has kept his solo career on a parallel track since he left the group, but stepped in to pinch hit. And now the group's original lineup - the two Alvins, bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman - will reunite in California to perform for a Jan. 26 benefit.

"After a year of rough health and extremely close calls, my brother Phil is alive and kicking! Sadly, he has foreign and domestic medical bills to pay off. So a bunch of family and friends are coming together to help," Dave Alvin posted on Facebook.

Both brothers are featured on the concept album version of the John Mellencamp-Stephen King theatrical musical, "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County," finally set for release next March.

The Blasters (sans Dave) last summer released "Fun on Saturday Night," a collection of R&B and soul covers songs that you are likely to hear Sunday, with the Lucky Cheats as openers in the Hard Rock Hotel's Vinyl room.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@
reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.