Friday night, as I said on Twitter at the time, the Mighty Blue Kings left a smoking hole where Milwaukee’s Shank Hall used to be.
Born during the jump-blues craze of the 90s that produced the Brian Setzer Orchestra, the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, and others, the Kings’ lineup has shuffled over that time, and in fact the band took several years off during the ’00s. Frontman Ross Bon remains one of the more charismatic performers I’ve ever seen in person, and he’s one hell of a singer, too. Here’s the band from way back in the 90s doing “Don’t Let Go,” the Roy Hamilton hit from 1958 which has become one of their signature numbers.
From last year, here’s an original song (and the title song from the band’s most recent album), “Alive in the City,” from a date opening for Setzer.
And because it’s the season, here’s “Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday.” When the band played it Saturday night, The Mrs. and I left our seats and became part of the ecstatic throng right up by the stage.
That’s all I’ve got today. I’ll try to do better tomorrow.