(...The warm sun was still blazing at around 5:15 when Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his band took the stage ... )

I wasn't sure beforehand what I might think of KWS, since my only knowledge of him was he plays blues. People react with horror when I admit I run hot and cold on the blues: some I like and some leaves me cold. I can't specifically point to what it is or isn't about what I like or don't, so Go Figure.

But I found myself warming to the KWS band in no time at all. Noah Hunt's strong, gutsy, and throaty vocals scored him one very loyal, passionate fan, right here. When he wasn't singing there was some rock and soul blues going down I gotta say was mighty fine and mighty nice. I was really digging this music.

Kenny wore an amazing shimmery silver shirt that flowed like liquid - very expressive and sensual. His long, blond hair fell forward onto his face as he played. His bassist Robby Emerson had the bass slung high on his body, and played it with passion. At one point I noticed the keyboard player Jimmy Wallace looking totally blissed-out (yeaaaaaaa) and when Noah sang "Shame, Shame, Shame" my entire being responded with "-I- -L-O-V-E- -T-H-I-S- -G-U-Y-!!!"

Regarding that skinny young kid from Shreveport Louisiana, Kenny Wayne Shepherd: I'm unqualified to say anything except what I like (I don't play electric guitar, and I don't listen to much blues so I don't know much), what I respond to, and that's pretty much a mystery. I got into the groove right away, so that has to say something.

Kenny is obviously talented, and amazingly young. I bonded with the music he made - he must certainly have been THERE with it, making it something I responded to. How could that musical moment have happened, if not for HIM? I cannot speak to his technical prowess or compare his blues-soul with anything else of the same genre. I enjoyed his music VERY MUCH, and I hope he takes care of himself and nutures what he has going. He can only get better as time goes on. I had a great time, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd was part of making it great, and what else is there?

[[See &&& below for an Update on my review of the KWS Band.]]

Overall I "got into" the band's sound right away, and felt the music move me well along the road to a state of musical nirvana. But being so far away from the stage, and without Lindsay next to me to share the experience, I felt somewhat less- than- carried- away ... (next page)