New Playground, Old Playmates: Michael Burks at Knuckleheads
by El Dormido (dormido@hotmail.com)

Even though I am in the midst of an extended period of downtime/mia inaction, I agreed to chauffer for La Roennigke for a trip down to Knuckleheads to see Alligator Records recording artist Michael Burks, a must see event anytime, anywhere.

New to the place, I was very impressed with everything going on at that club, except maybe the railroad crossings where I had to wait for the freight to pass. I'll have to figure out the way around next time!

But Knuckleheads instantly felt like home, ambience and people, food and drink, music and dance. There is a lot of space for the amiable crowd, with genial service readily available.

The entrance puts you at the north end of the first large room filled with long tables and chairs, with a large video screen of the band stand to the immediate left. At the rear is a small, full service bar, with another bar in the small room behind, with tables in small clusters. Dotted around the large room were tubs of beer on sale, so no way was there a problem getting what you wanted to drink.

The room where the music lives is in a very moderate sized space further to the left of the entrance, with a dance floor in front of the bandstand around which are upholstered benches, tables and chairs. The bandstand itself runs the width of the north end of the room.

There is also an outdoor patio area with a small bandstand that is going to be a killer place to hang out in good weather.

The sound was excellent all over the place, with smaller video screens strategically placed where sight of the bandstand itself was blocked.

It was funky but in a home spun way, cobbled together out of whatever works, and it works very well. I felt instantly comfortable amidst the diverse crowd of strangers and friends.

And it was startling to me to see so many familiar faces. The Board of Directors of the Blues Society was well represented, with Stan Koron leading the charge. KKFI was there two, with Lady D and Connie Crash in major sashay. Shannon and the Rhythm Kings hit it late after their gig at
Balancas. The old Grand Emporium crowd showed up, with major domo Herb Palmer gliding through, Barry the Wise ensconced on an equipment case, Eileen batting her showy eyes, and various other beauties and head turners popping out of my fading memory and peopling the place.

It was like a dream come true after glitz and glitter had replaced the old homestead, after feeling homeless all summer and fall. Thank you Fog Cycles for ending the exile from Main Street!!!

And I got what I came for, a monster show by award winning electric blues guitarist Michael Burks, with Wayne Sharp (keyboard), Chuck "Popcorn" Lowden (drums), and John Davies (bass).

Micheal this year is a Handy Award nominee for Contemporary Album of the year: "I Smell Smoke"; Contemporary song of the year: "I Smell Smoke"; and guitar player of the year. He also garnered the Living Blues Guitarist of the Year Award for 2004.

That's what's on paper. What's in person is a ferocious performer, delicate and sensitive by turns to make you feel the tears fall, lyrical at full volume that sends the heart soaring and the feet flying, equally adept at handling the contemporary nomenclature as well as evoking the down home
blues.

Michael just doesn't quit, the first set lasting from the 9 PM start time to midnight nonstop.

I hadn't intended to write about the show, my hands still shaky after getting out of the treatment center, so I didn't take notes, and my memory is gone. But what I do remember are those moments sitting there at the start of a tune, letting the music flow through me swaying on the stool,
then the total body-bob, and then just having to erupt in full-tilt boogie as Michael Burks hits the after-burners on an already sizziling performance, He started with that latin Santana something that I just had to dance to, slipped into some straight ahead blues, both urban slick as well as
rhythmically funky. He laid Hendrix on us with "Little Wing" and "Voodoo Chile" without once dropping below the standard that Jimi set for those tunes, taking them on direct and masterful. He did some of that countrified stuff. He did anything he wanted to, because he could.

It was a satisfying performance throughout. There were times when we were all gasping at the turn of a phrase, shouting in concert with the ascending invention, stomping in ecstatic revelation of the blues turned out forcefully, with conviction and integrity.

What it comes down to, it was a memorable night to bank on. Michael Burks did it all and pleased every, every, everyone. Kuckleheads is a home for the blues heart and soul. And it was good to see the old playmates in a fine and mellow new playground.

Check out the web for: Michael Burks at www.michaelburks.com. Buy his CDs direct from Alligator Records at www.alligator.com.  And keep up with what's going down at Knuckleheads: www.knuckleheadskc.com. And buy a cool bike at www.fogcycles.com