A Tuesday night gig out for me,is something I haven’t done in a long time but the excitement of seeing this young up and coming artist play some Blues had me drooling at the mouth, especially as I’ve only seen him via the Internet, which doesn’t compare to seeing him, or any other artist live.
Words: BARRY BLUESBARN HOPWOOD Pictures: Chris Griffiths
A Tuesday night gig out for me,is something I haven’t done in a long time but the excitement of seeing this young up and coming artist play some Blues had me drooling at the mouth, especially as I’ve only seen him via the Internet, which doesn’t compare to seeing him, or any other artist live.
As I enter the Garage, something strikes me straight away, how full it is already, then I hear and see why. Firstly, Brave Rival are the support act, these guys are blowing the roof off many a venue at the moment and will soon be headliners themselves if they aren’t already – especially when they do covers like Etta James, Damn Your Eyes, Breathless. The second reason I hear is,that tonight’s concert is being recorded for a forthcoming live album, so there’s an air of anticipation flowing through the place like a wildfire.
Like Blues stars of old, Kingfish comes onto the stage after his band – and what a band, Chris Black(drums) Paul Rodgers(bass)and Deshawn Alexander on keys laying down a sweet sound as the entrance for the man of the moment. Boom, straight into Bluesy riffs that scream at me like a seafaring siren,telling my head, Barry old son, you chose wisely,this is everything you love about live music. Song after song are flowing. We hear Blues, Rock, funk, the comparisons are right, he’s been compared to artists before him but for me the mixture is different, like finding a new wine, with a more sophisticated taste.
I get goosebumps after goosebumps. My smile is getting wider and wider, I hope this goes on all night, just as the momento is flowing, he sends the boys in the band off stage. What’s he gonna do now ?
He takes us, on a journey back to Clarksdale. I get goosebumps again as he strums his acoustic guitar and plays old style Blues, straight from the heart, and my own heart is racing. It’s like every Blues artist I never got to see are here. This is what I’ve come for !
After two solo acoustic numbers the band comes back on and I catch my breath and look round,the Garage is fit to bursting. The crowd are young and old. I can see people dancing. I can see people smiling, lapping it up, taking it in.
This is it, one of those nights when we get to say, ‘me, I was there, I witnessed it, I get to tell people that the crowd clapped and clapped till he came on for his encore.’
By now, he’s already played for over two hours. What’s he going to do ? Hendrix, Hey Joe,for the final song. I think I’m gonna have a heart attack.. Freddie King, Albert King, BB King, the King is Dead, long live The KINGFISH.
