Karla Bonoff, Kenny Edwards, Chris Brockett & The Wasted Bullets, and The Drunks of Hazzard

I went to a couple of rock shows this week that couldn't possibly have been more different. On Friday, we were comped in to a show by Karla Bonoff and Kenny Edwards. My friend Dave Hokit's law firm sponsored the show. You may know Bonoff's work--she has had tunes in a lot of movies, and has been widely covered. She had some hits that you might recognize in the 80s. She has a fantastic voice with every bit of power she ever had. Alas, I am just not a fan of her music--it's just too Hallmark-poppy. I liked hearing her, but didn't much like the songs.

Kenny Edwards, however, put on an excellent set with folksy, rootsy tunes that could have almost come from the Anthology of American Folk Music. He is a long time associate of Bonoff and Wendy Waldman. In the last five or six years, he has begun performing his own songs, which are sad, funny, and often moving. He is also a member of the band Bryndle (Wendy Waldman, Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, and Edwards), where he co-writes songs and sings a few on each record. He was the opening act for Karla Bonoff, and played about 20 minutes. It was the highlight of the show for me. He is a facile guitarist and also played electric bass and mandolin. I am going to search out his hard to find CD...



Chris Brockett and The Wasted Bullets opened up a show on Thursday night at The Rendezvous. Chris played a short set with some of his own tunes and some great covers, including a Johnny Cash cover in which he was joined by the Drunks of Hazzard. Brockett was nervous about his guitar playing, but it didn't matter. His voice sounded great, and he put on a moving, and oh so humble show. I hope I can see him perform a longer set soon. Keep it coming, Chris!

The Drunks of Hazzard are Fraser Thompson, Tony Ravo, Eric Gingrich, and Mike Chavez--artists, designers, and a programmer in the game world. You can find some posters of their gigs here. This band is a gas to watch and hear. And for some reason, you get thirsty listening. After their Thursday night gig, my stomach hurt from laughing so much. Each of their faces are a unique mirror of the music. Tony Ravo and Fraser Thompson mainly front the band. Fraser, in particular, is a joy to watch. His frantic facial expressions and wild limb movements while he plays and sings (most lead vocals and lead guitar) are worth the price of admission. His face can be puzzled, amused, and demonic all at the same time and watching him bounce around the stage only amplifies the music.

I have seen the Drunks play four or five times, but this time they were the most rehearsed I'd ever seen, and they broke out six or seven new songs--most as sick and hilarious as the great old tunes. The audience was convulsed in laughter. I want to try and post some of their lyrics in the near future. If you live in Seattle, try to show up at one of their sporadic gigs. And, hey, Drunks! Isn't it time to put out a CD? I could already name 12 songs that deserve inclusion. I have some low-quality boots of them, but I need an actual CD. Thanks, Drunks!

Other recent music postings on All This Is That:

My Favorite Rock And Jazz Shows (1966-Last Weekend)
More Shows I've seen over the years
The Surprise At The Divorce Crocodile CD Release Party
The Divorce Releases New CD - Seattle Release Parties
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