Southern rock bands impress at Tidball’s
September 24, 2019
The building was quiet, almost empty while a few people were mulling around stage.
Music was supposed to start at 9:30 p.m., but the clock was a couple minutes past 10 p.m., and there were no musicians on stage. Sixth Floor was the first band up.
Dead silence filled the air as the four men from Morgantown took the stage. Those familiar with the band Sixth Floor knew what was about to take place.
From the moment of the sound of the first guitar, this night of music was electric. As usual, the sound in the venue was crisp, clear and heart thumping.
Sixth Floor vocalist John King claimed Tidball’s is always the band’s favorite place to play. It was hard to tell that by the crowd that showed up, but it wasn’t hard to tell by the music being played.
The quartet didn’t miss a note its entire set, with the most impressive part being their two cover songs: AC/ DC’s “Livewire” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimmie Back My Bullets.”
Sixth Floor plays no games when it comes to its live performances. Thick, well-rehearsed, southern rock ‘n’ roll is what the audience will get from this band 100% of the time.
Another familiar face to Tidball’s, Lexington’s Sour Cream, took the stage after Sixth Floor. The trio of rockers doesn’t look a day over 21 upon first glance.
Of the three bands doing the rock- ing at Tidball’s, Sour Cream is probably the hardest to put a finger on — in a good way. With a sound ranging from modern alt-rock to classic blues- rock, Sour Cream is certainly a sight to see in the Kentucky music scene.
The three young men looked as if they just stepped off of a college campus with their leisurely attire. The sight of the band and its sound doesn’t necessarily coincide, and that is what makes it so great.
To end the set, the trio busted into a Jimi Hendrix cover that was played to a tee. These three guys from Fayette County know how to put on a show.
Last, but definitely not least, MojoThunder took the stage to end an extravagant night of Kentucky rock ‘n’ roll. The clock read 12:30 a.m., but the night was just beginning.
The four hippies with long hair looked like a clone of The Allman Brothers. Boots, bell bottom jeans and a groovy shirt made the perfect combination.
MojoThunder was the most classic sounding of the three bands. Good riffs, good leads and a band that the audience could easily tell had been together for quite some time electrified the end of the night.
The crowd never quite filled in, but the music was all that mattered. Tidball’s never fails to find the finest musicians around the state.
Sixth Floor, Sour Cream and MojoThunder all put on exceptional performances and deserve to draw attentive audiences and new listeners every time they perform. These bands tour exclusively around the Bluegrass state, so when they come to town don’t miss out.
Columnist Casey Warner can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected].
