Kelly Richey Concert Review [PHOTOS]

It's no secret that I love rock and I love the blues. So when I had the chance to see the Kelly Richey Band late Saturday night after leaving the Jonny Lang concert (March 23) I jumped at the chance.

Sometimes I forget that so many of these extremely talented musicians aren't household names. The talent and passion they display every night is incomparable. I've had the conversation with dozens and dozens of blues musicians: it's all about the music. They travel hours and hours in a van to play a small club in the heartland and put on a show whether there is ten people in the audience or ten thousand.

Luckily for us in Sioux Falls, Kelly Richey has taken a liking to us. It's the third time we've been fortunate enough to have her play for us and Saturday night, she brought her revamped rhythm section to town and WOW are they amazing!

Richey's new bass player is a man known simply as 'Freekbass'. A Cincinnati musician who has a big following in that area of the country and is as funky as it gets. I told him after the show that I had no idea that Bootsy Collins had a white twin brother. Incredibly talented musician! And the new drummer is a young lady from Kentucky, Jyn Yates. She played with power, passion, and a huge smile on her face for the capacity crowd at Old Skoolz (921 E. 8th St)

The set included several songs from her new, fantastic CD called Sweet Spirit but plenty of back catalog songs from the 50-year old Richey's career. The band had the crowd on their feet dancing, clapping and bowing at the incredible performers we were fortunate enough to see. And again with 99% of the blues musicians that I've met, they are incredibly nice, humble people.

Seeing the band in person, you can really see and hear the influence that Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix have had on her as she told me when we talked a couple of weeks ago. You can hear the interview here.

Even if you would have only been there for the final two songs of the evening, covers of Jimi Hendrix' Hey Joe and Cream's Crossroads, it would have been worth more than the price of admission.

Do yourself a favor, follow Kelly on her Website and on Facebook to see when she's playing in your area and go to a show, buy her CD's and DVD's and book of poetry. Support the music so we can continue to have these amazing musicians come back to see us again.

And thanks to Rich Szameit for shooting a great video of the band and their rendition of Hey Joe.