Do you really care about this Van Halen tour opener?

April 25, 2008

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When word first got to retro-R&B singer Ryan Shaw that he might open for classic-rockers Van Halen, he thought it was a joke.
Van Halen is among rock’s biggest names, thanks to hits such as "Jump," "Panama" and "Poundcake," the band’s lead-singer changes and, recently, a tour that keeps running off track (this weekend’s concert comes after two postponed dates).
Shaw, meanwhile, is … who?
His new debut CD, "This is Ryan Shaw," is a mix of old-school-flavored soul and rock that brings to mind Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson.

"They all visit me at different times," Shaw says. "But a lot of times, I think I’m more Wilson Pickett."
The disc doesn’t immediately conjure up thoughts of Van Halen. But neither does Ky-Mani Marley, whom Shaw is replacing as the opening act.
"My first reaction was disbelief," says Shaw who had only basic knowledge of Van Halen. "Like, ‘Are y’all kidding me?’ The real Van Halen or some new group? I was in shock.
"It was kinda crazy, kinda surreal. Some big artists would kill to get this slot. To get it, you need a great booking agent and God, and I think I had them both."
Shaw says he isn’t intimidated that Van Halen fans are unlikely to know his name. He’s approaching it the same way he approached opening shows for Robert Randolph and Joss Stone.
"Every night, I’m used to blank faces initially before winning new fans," Shaw says. "So I guess it’s more of the same this time, and I look forward to that. I’ve opened shows for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. That’s as far off from anything I’m doing. If you believe in what you’re doing, and it’s real, it’ll be real to other people instantly."
What also helps Shaw is that "Van Halen fans are real music lovers. And Van Halen loves great hooks and chords, and I’m doing classic hooks and moving ballads, like it was done with original rock and R&B of the ’50s."
For an artist like Shaw, a gig opening for a supergroup is key. His music isn’t the latest flavor, so getting radio and video play is challenging.
"There’s a lot of challenges," he says. "But I knew this going in — that it wasn’t the mainstream. I believe in myself, and I think that anyone who likes this kind of music will like it."
Shaw is frequently compared with another throwback singer: Ricky Fante, who released "Rewind" in 2004.
"He’s been mentioned one or two times during interviews," says Shaw, who listened to a lot of gospel artists such as Daryl Coley, the Clark Sisters and Mississippi Mass Choir growing up.
"I bought Fante’s album, and I thought it was cool. I like his voice. But I think we’re definitely different spectrums of the same era. He’s more laid back. I’m more aggressive and out of the box."