March Fourth / Beggar’s Carnivale / Montana Skies @ 2720 Cherokee, St. Louis, MO

Word and pictures by Duane Clawson

After witnessing this night of entertainment at 2720 Cherokee, a three-ring circus would have been a more fitting venue for the diversity that graced this club's stage.  To ease everyone into the night’s festivities, Montana Skies entertained with a guitar and cello blend that fit perfectly into tonight’s triple bill.  John and Jennifer compose this duo from Georgia, whom met while studying music at the University of Georgia.  At first, the duo had intentions of performing classical pieces but soon found out no classical works existed for a guitar and cello duo. Montana Skies decided they would write their own music and perform a few radio classics as well. Montana Skies put a unique spin on Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” and the Animals' “House of the Rising Sun” while enthralling an attentive gathering.  Montana Skies can be found on Facebook and Bandcamp.

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Elizabeth Cook @ Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

In the short time I’ve been covering live music for MTC, I have had the opportunity to witness a few performers grow their careers before my very eyes.  Elizabeth Cook would be one of these said performers.  Just a few short months ago I covered Elizabeth’s show at the much smaller Off Broadway.  Tonight Cook had moved up the street to Old Rock House, a club that is much more generous in size.  The one thing that was clearly evident at this show was how much more familiar this audience appeared to be with Elizabeth and her music.  A major player in Elizabeth’s recent rise in popularity is her Sirius/XM radio show “Apron Strings”, which has now secured a spot on the Outlaw Country channel for the past four years.  Another contributing factor in Cook’s success were her recent appearances on the David Letterman show.    Elizabeth again brought her ever present charm to the Old Rock House stage, engaging the audience with tales of the people and places that have inspired her music and songwriting.

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Madeleine Peyroux @ The Sheldon, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

Surprises were the order the day as I found myself at the Sheldon Concert Hall on a May night in St. Louis. I chose to cover Madeleine Peyroux because, first and foremost, I have been a fan for a few years now. First being introduced to her music through her song, “It’s Alright”, I was immediately struck by her smooth voice and the overall jazzy feel to her music.  Madeleine’s voice and style falls somewhere between Patsy Cline and Ella Fitzgerald.  One of the first surprises of the evening was the Sheldon Concert Hall itself; a venue that has the feel of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The Sheldon was acoustically solid and a great match for Miss Peyroux and her band.  Speaking of the band, they were a solid unit of veteran musicians showcasing the guitar talents of Jon Herington, current lead guitarist for Steely Dan.  Being a fan of Peyroux, I was familiar with her music but her versatility in a live setting was the biggest surprise of the night.  

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Photos: Southern Culture on the Skids / Truckstop Honeymoon @ Knuckleheads, Kansas City, MO

Pictures by Duane Clawson

While visiting Kansas City, I found the time to venture out with Duane to a very interesting venue called Knuckleheads.  Located in an industrial area, the venue is an eclectic piece of real estate, containing three separate stages:  a small stage located just inside the venue doors, a large stage in the main hall of the bar, and a fairly large outdoor stage with a terrace overlooking.  I mentioned to Duane that I'm sure there's been many a bar fight here, as drinks were cheap and the crowd displayed a hint of rowdiness.  But there were no fights this night, but a heaping supply of good ole fashioned music.

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