Blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. doesn’t hype the crowd or work the stage much. But he kept the standing room-only crowd mesmerized with his music, which can best be described as a mix of Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix with an occasional side trip to Led Zeppelin. Clark did all the songs from his latest album, The Bright Lights EP including “Bright Lights,” “Don’t Owe You A Thang,” and “When My Train Pulls In,” along with other older songs, and his own renditions of classic blues songs.
It didn’t take long for a first timer like myself to hear that Clark Jr. has been heavily influenced by R & B from the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s. He seamlessly transitions from songs that highlight his Hendrix-esque solo guitar playing to others that showcase his funky, soulful vocals. He doesn’t sound like anyone else currently on the music scene today.
Despite only having four songs on the album, one admirer told me, “There’s more soul in these four tracks than many artists can cram into an hour-long set.” One would assume then that the crowd would be mostly black; however, the white male population out numbered the black fan base.
So, if you like a genuine mix of southern blues, rock, and virtuoso guitar playing then I strongly suggest you take a listen. You won’t regret it.
Opening Act: Timothy Bloom. He did an amazing job, keeping the audience engaged as he mixed R&B vocals with guitar ballads.His most popular song, “’Till the End of Time,” came towards the end when he did a wonderful duet with a female vocalist who wasn’t credited in the music video for the song.
