Pop Music : Good Golly! Little Richard Still Rocks ‘Em After 20 Years

Anticipation ran high on Saturday among the nearly full house at the Greek Theatre for what was billed as Little Richard’s first L.A.appearance in 20 years. Would his voice be weak from constant rounds of self-promotion? Would he be back in one of his recurring gospel-only phases? Would the show be a stunning comeback for one of rock’s most influential and commanding figures or a big wop-lop-a-loo-bop-a-wop-bam-fizz ?

Any fears were mostly allayed as Little Richard took the stage with time-tested inflated bravado (“Are you glad to see me?”--a question asked repeatedly thereafter with slight modification) and squeals (“Lu-ceee-UHL!”--a musical command sure even now to have dogs running from a circumference of Glendale on inward).

Placing “Blueberry Hill” as the third song in the set raised the anxiety level in making it clear his voice isn’t currently cut out for blues ballads. But no one was there for nuance--they were there for volume, of which he’s still a capable steamroller provider. And when in doubt, Richard could and would switch into his most sturdy standby, that perfectly pitched falsetto wooooooh! , as reliable an interpolation as Buddy Holly’s hiccup.

The lengthy, gospel-free set included nearly all his piano-pounding chart singles from the late ‘50s, plus his 1986 semi-comeback “Great Gosh A’Mighty”; a seemingly impromptu sing-along of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” (from a new benefit compilation album of children’s songs); likewise spontaneous snippets of “Satisfaction” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Music,” reminders of tours with the Stones and Beatles; and one upcoming single, the sentimental “No Place Like Home,” apparently intended for a country audience.

The band, which included several Muscle Shoals players, capably followed his whims, with only a few formless hard-rock guitar solos detracting.

Faithful energy was the order, although some breakneck oldies, like “The Girl Can’t Help It,” were slowed down and straightened out. Sang Richard, “She helps Grandpa feel like he’s 21”--which was kind of the point of the evening for the mostly mature but hyped-up crowd.

In the flamboyance department, erstwhile king Richard was a letdown.

The show surely had its weirdnesses, though--like his insistence on bringing out several young male dancers of questionable talent; the anticlimax of a finale, in which Richard stood atop his piano and, at overdrawn length, teasingly removed jewelry from his lapel to toss into the front rows; and, following that paean to materialism and self-worship, the Messianic and Adventist texts handed out with “autographed” photos to departing patrons.

Strange? The boy can’t help it.