Lil' Ed and Scotty, July 23, 2006

The Kansas City Blues Society's Sunday night concert series continued July 23 with Scotty & the Soultones opening for Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials. Scotty, pictured here, treated this showcase as a celebratory party.



















They were excellent. The band's original material was just as memorable as the two cover songs they performed, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "Down Home Blues." Fans of Johnny Taylor and Tyrone Davis would be well served to support this band. Among local blues acts, only D.C. Bellamy rivals Scotty & the Soultones in quality.
























Scotty wandered into the crowd several times. He even stopped the show when he spotted his long-lost brother.

















It was uncharacteristically cool. And finally, a few City Market restaurants other than Winslow's stayed open to serve the audience of hundreds. Succotash and the Vietnamese joint seemed to be doing brisk business.



















Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials come in all shapes and sizes.
























This young woman exibits the only appropriate response to Lil' Ed's music.



















The Blues Imperials are a Chicago-based blues band in the tradition of Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto.



















The Sunday concert series lasts another two weeks.

The Architects with The Bronx, July 22, 2006

A punk rock battle-of-the-bands took place early Saturday evening at The Record Bar in Kansas City.

















The Architects, my favorite Kansas City rock band, played after Warrensburg, MO, act Super Black Market. This is Brandon Phillips of the Architects.



















The green wristbands on the Architects indicate that this was a rare all-ages show.

























The Architects are so good that they can play with their eyes closed.

























Who you calling trash!



















The Bronx possess a might roar.

















So, who won? While The Bronx were louder, tighter and the clear audience favorite, the prize goes to the winner, and still number-one-contender-in-the-world, Kansas City's Architects.

Joe Bonamassa, July 16, 2006

Jon Bonamassa performed at the Kansas City Blues Society's free Sunday night concert series at the City Market on July 16. My review of the concert is posted at Patchchord.



















In spite of the oppressive heat, he drew a large crowd. Shade was at a premium.

















Many of his fans are bikers.
























Bonamassa, to put it mildly, is a showy guitarist.



















A great deal of money changed hands at Bonamassa's merch table.

Danny Cox and Malford Milligan: July 14, 2006

Danny Cox was the unannounced opening act at the Olathe, Kansas, free Friday night concert series on July 14. I wrote about the show here.
























Cox enjoyed national recognition among folk circles in the late '60s and early '70s. He now resides in Kansas City, KS.




















Vocalist Malford Milligan contributed to Cox's set.



















They seemed to enjoy the pairing, although their music has little in common.
























Milligan, a Texan, opened his set with Freddie King's "Palace of the King."



















About four hundred people attended the concert.