There’s nothing like seeing a big man with a big voice take charge on stage. Kirby Sewel is that man. We arrived at the Ironwood Stage and Grill early so we could get a good seat but were disappointed. The place was packed. Luckily we found the last bar table that let us see over the generally older crowd.
As Kirby’s opening act kicked off, (one of those annoying acoustic guys who feel the need for a long, drawn out explanation before starting each song), Kirby swung by our table for a moment and said hi. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy and I was looking forward to hearing what he could do.
The band opened with a blues number that got the crowd moving in their seats. The sound is part The Commitments with shades of Van Morrison and the Blues Brothers. Maybe a little Blues Traveller with out all the harmonica. Their front man has one of those classic blues voices that carries right through you. Called "one of the finest Male Blues vocalists in Canada" by Real Blues Magazine, his voice is a versatile instrument that lends itself easily to country, jazz, gospel, and of course, the blues. His band is a tight foursome that transitioned easily from a bluesy country number, into a stripped down jazzy version of Pour Some Sugar over me.
Kirby’s animated stage presence is kind of like John Belushi’s Joe Cocker from SNL. With flailing hands driving home the point someone has definitely done him wrong, they played the songs from their two CDs. It wasn’t long before the crowd was up and dancing along.
The Kirby Sewel Band’s original sound is a fun, upbeat journey that comes full circle through the modern roots spectrum. They have a big, light hearted sound that’s fresh and inspired. You can check out a few of their songs at http://www.reverbnation.com/kirbysewellband along with updates for future gigs. Definitely worth checking out.
