Tower of Power back at Yoshi's, delivering its trademark East Bay funk

"Just before showtime on Jan. 12, 2017, the legendary East Bay funk band's longtime drummer David Garibaldi and part-time bassist Mark van Wageningen started crossing Embarcadero after a slow moving northbound freight train passed by, only to be struck by an Amtrak train heading rapidly in the other direction. Both men were severely injured, the gig was cancelled, and TOP didn't play Yoshi's again until Jan. 16, when the band sold-out the first of four three-night stands."

"As founding tenor saxophonist and sometimes vocalist Emilio Castillo reminded the audience, TOP got its start in the late 1960s just a few blocks away at On Broadway, a long defunct R&B joint where the band first started honing a book rife with hits like You're Still a Young Man. TOP hasn't been avoiding Yoshi's out of trauma, Castillo said in a conversation a few days before the show."

"What temped TOP to return to the venue was the opportunity to show some hometown love. Almost every night in the remaining Back to Oakland Residency (Jan. 23-25, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, and Feb. 5-7) has sold out. We love the idea of doing a residency, Castillo said. We've been looking around for one in Vegas for several years, but we're not quite big enough. In the Bay Area, and particularly Oakland, it seemed like a perfect fit."

On Jan. 12, 2017, drummer David Garibaldi and part-time bassist Mark van Wageningen were struck by an Amtrak train after crossing the Embarcadero following a slow northbound freight, resulting in severe injuries and the cancellation of the show. Tower of Power did not perform at Yoshi's again until Jan. 16, when the band sold out the first of four three-night stands. Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc" Kupka remain the two founding members and primary songwriters. Garibaldi retired in January prior to the residency, and van Wageningen became the permanent bassist in 2018 and has returned to Yoshi's with other bands. The band launched a sold-out Back to Oakland residency to celebrate hometown connections and strong local demand.

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