Kevn Kinney Band
February 4th, 2011
Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, GA
So what’s the difference between The Kevn Kinney Band and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’? I’m glad you asked. For nearly 25 years, Kevn has been putting out solo material along side his work with Drivin’ N Cryin’. Kevn has released 7 solo albums that put more focus on the folk/rootsy aspect of his songwriting. One could even say that it’s a bit more jammy and less in your face which proves to be a great balance for this versatile artist. As a fan, it’s like getting two for the price of one. Over the years, Kevn Kinney solo shows have been some of my favorite shows and this hometown performance proved to stand tall in the weeds as one of the best I’ve seen him do yet.
They might as well have hung a sign on the door that said, “If you’re here for the “hits” and “Straight To Hell”, please collect your things and leave.” This was not a show for the casual fan expecting to hear sing alongs and drunken anthems. This show was suited more for diehard Kevn Kinney fans and for diehard music fans. The show opened with fellow Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ bassist Tim Nielson on mandolin for the classic “Mountain Top” from Kevn’s “Down Out Law” album. I got goosebumps from this one as Kevn’s voice was so strong yet fragile as he opened his heart to let it all out. Kevn and Tim were then joined by legendary New York drummer/producer Anton Fier which made up my favorite line up to this date. Delivering such deep cuts like “Gotta Get Outta Here”, Eye of the Hurricane” and “The Flower and the Knife”, the trio seemed so focused and connected. Anton Fier has to be the best drummer I’ve heard play with Kevn yet. That guy seems to not only enjoy playing but seemed to love playing Kevn’s songs. He’s a passionate drummer and plays with so much dynamic power. No disrespect to the other drummers but Anton just seemed to make a connection that I feel is sometimes missed by the others.
Kevn welcomed guests like David Franklin, Mac Carter and former Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ guitarist Buren Fowler to rip out a few Drivin’ N Cryin’ favorites like “Honeysuckle Blue” and the facemelting rarity “Powerhouse” but it was “Blues on Top of Blues” that proved to be the highlight for me. This song really showcases not only Kevn’s ability to get down right nasty with the blues but shows just what an amazingly underrated guitar player he is. This song completely melted my face and yet they still had a good hour or so to go. “Fly Me Courageous” was performed and totally given a folk facelift which totally worked and had me smiling ear to ear. I was so surprised at how amazing that song sounded transformed like that. It made me realize that no matter what style the songs are played in, Kevn is a folksinger and he writes amazing folk songs. In addition to some great deep songs, the Kevn Kinney Band also performed some brand new titles like “Challenge” and “Dirty” which were both stellar songs. It’s great to see that Kevn is nowhere near out of great ideas for songs and I’m really looking forward to a new album of songs.
The nearly 3 hour performance was a face melt fest that had no set break and no encore. About 1/2 the audience bailed 2 hours in once they figured out that this wasn’t going to be the “hits show” that they expected. This was fine with me as it made room for the real fans to move up front and groove out with the band. The show was capped off with “Whisper Tames The Lion” which was a super awesome treat for the diehards that stuck around the entire night. “Which Jesus” was a great way to close out the show that had us all singing along and then closing the night out with “I Stand Tall” which was transformed from the rip roaring rocker that it is to a folk/rock ditty.
After nearly 3 hours of having my face completely melted down, the Kevn Kinney Band left the stage. Kevn came down front as usual to talk with the fans and I thanked him for a great show and shared a few words with him. It turns out that he had the flu and was burning up with fever. In a time when most artists would’ve canceled a show, Kevn took the stage that night and delivered a smoking performance that left me feeling inspired, happy and wanting more. The Kevn Kinney Band is a band that takes the wheel on their own and at times the only connection to Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ is Kevn himself. Do yourself a favor and see this band. They are guaranteed to inspire and then some.
The Kevn Kinney Band Setlist
Mountain Top (Kevn and Tim)
Gotta Get Out Of Here
Eye of the Hurricane
Friend Song
Challenge
The Flower and the Knife (with teases)
Hey Landlord
Bird
Dirty Angels (w/ David Franklin)
Right Side of Town (w/ DF)
Honeysuckle Blue (w/ DF and Buren Fowler and Mac Carter)
Powerhouse (w/ BF)
Blues on Top of Blues (w/ BF)
Lost and Found
Set In Stone
Never Gonna Change (Jason Isbell cover)
Gotta Move On
A Good Country Mile (w/ Mac Carter)
This Town
Fly Me Courageous (acoustic and heavily altered)
Dirty
Whisper Tames The Lion
Which Jesus>
I Stand Tall (altered acoustic with teases)
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