Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam - Awesome show on Sept. 26

I've never reviewed a concert I haven't been to, but I know for a fact that Davy and his band were great last night - because they are just GREAT.

I was suppose to go see them open for Queensryche and Chickenfoot but got lost for hours due to my terrible sense of direction and bad memory.  I really don't want to talk about it further than that :(

(I did get to see Robert Cray on 9/24 and he wrote the song "Back Door Slam" which Davy named his band after).

Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam, Queensryche, Chickenfoot

I'll tell ya what's a real bummer - when one of your favorite bands is opening for a popular band and tickets sell out before you get a chance to buy one. Of course this is great for Davy, but it sucks for me.

They are playing near me the day before and after my birthday and both shows are sold out except for bad seats in the bleachers in the back. Ugh.

On the other hand, I can go see Robert Cray that same weekend very close to where I live. I just need some good LIVE guitar to sustain me. General admission plus you have to buy dinner if you want good seats...sounds perfect. My friends around here keep asking what I want to do to celebrate, but going to see music like this with people that don't appreciate or enjoy it is awful, I rather go alone!

3 Generations of Guitar Virtuosos?

Mad Hatter made a comment on the recent post about the new rock doc called "It Might Get Loud".

He suggested that perhaps Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White were not necessarily the best three choices to represent "three generations of electric guitar virtuosos".

So my question for you is: Which three would you choose for this film?


BTW, if you haven't checked out Hatter's blog you should. He reviews a lot of interesting music, some popular some obscure. I love his grading scale:

Key To Music Grades
A - You will never be whole without it
B - Highly recommended
C - Flawed, but still pretty good
D - It's your money, not mine
F - Why couldn't this have been burned in Fahrenheit 451?

Davy Knowles

Back in May I wrote that I had my fingers crossed about the possibility of seeing Davy Knowles this summer and guess what - I did!  Now to try to find the words to describe one of the best shows I've ever seen.  I think if my favorite guitarist of all time heard him play, Stevie Ray would agree with me that

Davy Knowles is a legend in the making

If you check out my sidebar you'll see that I first heard his prodigious talent back in August '08 and was immediately aware that I was listening to a superb musician.  Tonight I experienced it firsthand and it blew me away.  Listening to a CD is one thing but seeing it, hearing it and feeling it live in person brings it to a different dimension.  You must make it a priority to check him out for yourself.

Tonight Davy's talent and passion radiated from him along with his evident joy in performing for an appreciative audience.  You could tell he was genjuinely pleased, maybe even a bit taken aback,  by our powerful reaction.  After the show he took the time to sign autograph's and meet people and he had quite a line of fans.


Joe (Rock and Roll Guru) had interviewed Davy earlier in the day and confirmed that he is the authentically nice person he seems to be.  I serioulsy doubt that fame will rob him of that as it does to some musicians.

Joe and Drew

To top off a great night, Joe introduced Drew and I to Davy so I got to shake his hand and say hello.  I admit, it was a thrill.  The kid is adorable and sweet in addition to being a kick ass guitarist.  I also had the pleasure of meeting his manager and hopefully will stay connected with him to keep all of you up to date on when and where to catch Davy and Back Door Slam. 

Get this - he is going on tour with and opening for CHICKENFOOT this Fall.  I know there are some serious Chickenfoot fans that read here.  Let me know what you think of Davy and BDS, I'll be shocked if you don't walk away impressed.

I will never forget this show.  I will never forget the woman who sat next to me who enjoyed the show as much as I did (hello!  I didn't get your name! the pics I took didn't turn out too great).  Lastly,  I will never forget how meeting Davy was a reminder of meeting SVR - both guitar greats.

On a personal note...I fly home to California tomorrow, but next year, I am headed back to Milwaukee for Summerfest.  If you've never been you're missing out!

Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam "Coming Up for Air" Review

YES! My new favorite rockin blues band has a new CD coming out on June 16. Got my review copy today (thank you, Sharon Weiss, at W3 PR!) I've been listening to it for the last couple of hours and its great. Produced by none other than the talented Mr. Peter Frampton.

Right now "Hear Me Lord" is playing - written by George Harrison. I believe its the only song on the CD that is not an original. "Amber's Song" is so pretty and sad. The whole CD is great. I am not disappointed. I think there first one will remain my favorite but they came through again the second time around.

"After a brief break from two years of non-stop touring, Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam is back with a new album produced by Peter Frampton and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. Coming Up For Air, a smorgasbord of rockers and acoustic ballads, includes Davy s and Peter s dueling guitar solos on George Harrison s anthem, Hear Me Lord, and an extraordinary bonus track duet with Jonatha Brooke of her Taste of Danger. The album is built around nine Davy originals (two co-written with Peter Frampton). Highlights include rockers Tear Down The Walls and Riverbed and the soulful Can t Take This Back. After a three week solo stint opening for Jeff Beck in April, Davy and the band are hitting the road again in support of this album."

Geez, I really don't want to give this copy away - you're gonna have to buy your own this time, its worth it!!!!

I hope to maybe catch these guys this summer....my fingers are crossed.

Davy Knowles - Good News, Bad News

My favorite new band of 2008 was Back Door Slam. The first time I heard Davy Knowles sing (knowing he was only a kid) I was blown away! I hadn't been that impressed by a new artist since...well, since I heard Jonny Lang for the first time (no offense to Jonny, I love him, but I think Davy's got a rare talent that we don't see often).

Sadly, the band broke up recently. That's the bad news.

The good news is that Davy will continue his career as a solo artist and has been has been recording new material in Los Angeles with none other than Peter Frampton producing. And he's going on tour opening for Jeff Beck beginning April 6 in Scranton, PA.

Be looking for a review of BACK DOOR SLAM—LIVE FROM BONNAROO—a double vinyl album that I will be receiving from Blix Street. Can't wait for that!