By Gordon Durich
Photos Tim Curtis
Thousand Oaks, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/26/25 – It was indeed a “three dog night” when the band of the same name played at the Bank of America’s Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks. The saying comes from an apocryphal situation where the night is so cold it takes three dogs to keep warm at night, according to Australian aboriginal folklore.
The band Three Dog Night hails from the 1960s.
Formed in Los Angeles, original “Dog” members were Chuck Negron, Cory Wells and Danny Hutton. Hutton is the only remaining member. The band’s string of hits, still played widely today, include “Joy to the World” and “One.”
A full house welcomed the band, got up and danced and an incredible instrumental work by keyboardist encore lead into “Eli’s Coming.”
Danny shared the fun anecdote that the band recorded in what was an old Chinese restaurant in L.A. – in the former freezer!
Another anecdote was about the song “Liar,” recorded at Abby Road Studios, London with the London Symphony Orchestra. He explained the band didn’t have a specific genre and covered rock, blue, jazz and even classical. Danny said this was unusual because the song was not considered positive but negative.
“Three Dog Night” premiered their new song, “Prayer of the Children,” a haunting acapella tribute to the world’s children.
My favorite songs were “One” and “Easy to be Hard” (the latter actually from the rock musical “Hair.”
A confusing cavalcade makes it hard to confirm the current lineup but have or do include guitarist Michael Allsup, Howard Laravea on keyboards and vocals, drummer Pat Bautz, and David Morgan, singer and guitarist.
The fabulous, funny TD Lind warmed up the crowd with brilliant bluesy vocals, guitar and piano. The Ojai resident leads TD Lind and The Aviators.