While out in Raleigh, my lovely girlfriend Shannon and I caught the West Street Band playing at the Blue Martini in downtown Raleigh.
Having not heard of the band before, we settled in on the couch with a little wine and waited for the songs. What came forth was pure amazement
Firstly, Shannon knew the keyboard player Fred so we chatted with him before the set. Oddly enough, Fred was once a High School Principal. He plays a great set of keys.
The band itself played a great set of blues and rock music. The singer was very much the entertainer, and played some excellent guitar solos.
The drummer was also excellent. He kept the whole band moving forward and his fills and sense of rhythm added a great dimension to the group. However, the showpiece of the night was the Bass Guitar player. This guy was a piece of work! Turns out, he had lived and played in New Orleans before Katrina turned the whole thing into a lake. He floated his Bass Guitar out of the flooded area on a mattress and ended up in Raleigh, North Carolina. This guy was simply amazing. He played a 6 string bass like it was an electric guitar. I can’t explain his very active bass style, but Shannon and I enjoyed the performance immensely.
If you get the chance to see the West Street Band perform, please do so. Their schedule for the year is posted on the website at http://www.weststreetband.com/.