#525 : Reverend Horton Heat w/ James Tutson - Live at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon 10-22-21

 

Reverend Horton Heat w/ James Tutson & The Rollback

Live at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon 10-22-21

Iowa City, Iowa

 

 

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 24, 2021

 

It was great to get out Friday evening for a much-needed dose of live music at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon in Iowa City, Iowa.  First up was James Tutson along with two members of his Rollback band (drummer Dr. Tyler Carrington and keyboardist/bassist Erik Lehmann) showcasing their unique blend of soul and R&B.  Tutson’s powerfully soulful vocals sounded fabulous paired with his guitar.  It’s not too often one hears the opening act encouraged by the audience for an encore, but it certainly happened this evening.  For the main event, Jim Heath aka Reverend Horton Heat, along with bassist Jimbo Wallace and drummer Jonathan Jeter (the Revelators) blessed the crowd with a mix of RHH favorites, deep cuts, and covers which included Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades”, and Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas”.   Although this was my fourth time to see the good Rev, it’s hard to believe it has been about twenty-two years since I last saw him.  He definitely still delivers one hell of a performance.     

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*  All photos by Phillip Smith

James Tutson & the Rollback

Reverend Horton Heat

#522 : Joanna Connor, Avey Grouws Band and James Tutson - Live at the Olympic

The Olympic Southside Theater
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
 All Photos by Phillip Smith; Oct. 09, 2021

The Olympic Southside Theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was definitely the place to be the evening of Friday, October 8, 2021.   This music venue, previously known as Spotlights, Big Dogs, and 3rd Street Live since I've lived in town, has hosted countless musical acts over the years.  In 1992, I set foot in this place for my first time and saw Kevin Burt with his band The Blues Instigators.   Over the years, I was fortunate to catch acts like John Mayall, Warren Zevon, Buddy Guy,  Little Feat, Black Oak Arkansas, George Clinton, and Days of the New.       After several years of non-occupation, this sacred space for music has been restored and revitalized to give it a new life as a place for people to congregate and enjoy live music.

The evening started off with a captivating solo performance from Iowa City artist James Tutson (James Tutson and the Rollback) who appeared on NBC's The Voice, earlier this year.  I really hope to hear more from him in the future.

Avey Grouws Band took the stage next, engaging the audience to the max.  Their setlist included favorites such as "Two Days Off (and a Little Bit of Liquor)", "Come and Get This Love", and "Dirty Little Secret" off their 2020 album The Devil May Care and tracks from their brand new album Tell Tale Heart such as  "Love Raining Down", and the intoxicating instrumental "Mariana".   I loved every bit of it.   

Immediately following was Chicago's Queen of Blues Rock guitar Joanna Connor. Watching and hearing her play is an absolute treat.  Her fearless approach to her music, ranks her among the top of the list.  

The jam session at the end was extraordinary, as  guitarist Billy Satterfield joined Joanna, Chris Avey, Jeni Grouws, and James Tutson for the grand finale.  After going so long without seeing a show of this caliber in Cedar Rapids, this was exactly what I needed.     

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·         All photos by Phillip Smith

James Tutson

Avey Grouws Band

Joanna Connor

All-Star Jam

* all photos by Phillip Smith