Review by Cornbread, photos by Big Dave

Wow, what a trip. St. Louis ’ own New Soul Cowboys opened the show (and stole the show) they were raw, had energy, sounded great – exactly how a live performance should be. I’m a fan and looking forward to their upcoming release. Great job guys!!

Buddy Guy, this guy can sing and play guitar - what a gift. He's like a dirty old uncle, highly animated and says what comes to mind. This made the fifth time I've seen Buddy, of which four of them were the same show. a stroll thru the blues; Jimi, Clapton, Muddy. While Buddy had lots of energy and a great backing band it's the same shtick; drum stick on guitar, same comments, same set, spinning guitar, etc. The highlight was his latest original and title track Skin Deep, so for that, thanks.

Now to B.B. King ....... there's no question that this guy has done more good for the blues than anybody, been around the world a gazillion times, everybody knows his songs, but last night the B.B. I saw was not the one I want to remember. Besides amp and microphone issues that caused flux in volume and crackling, B.B. talked, and talked, and talked, not passing valuable pearls of wisdom, but about anything that came to mind, during this time his band kept playing. We got two verses of I Am Your Sunshine and three or four other songs in the two hours I watched until I left. I was one of the diehard blues fanatics that kept waiting and waiting for B.B. to sing more and for Lucille to fill the St. Charles Family Arena with bending notes and vibrato as they've done many times before - that didn't happen as a great number of the $100 ticket owners left before me, probably equally or even greater disappointed.

So, where is the fine line of leaving on top of the world or crossing the line and perhaps trying to relive the glory days of raw energy with great sound, but falling short? I don't know the answer to that, but hopefully, our aging music idols will take note, retire proudly and not cross that line. Unfortunately for those in attendance of B.B. King last night and those who watched The Who's Super Bowl performance, we were witness to them crossing the line, and we wished we hadn't.

Peace and Love
Peter 'Cornbread' Cohen, CBP
~ Cornbread@STLBlues.net