The Two Timers / Beau Hodges - The Motor City Cafe 10-19-13

Twas a slow night at the Motor City Cafe on Saturday, which means that all too many of the denizens of Las Vegas missed an intimate night of great music by some of the city's finest talents.

Anyone who has ever visited this blog knows that I love the Lucky Cheats and feel that the cats in this band are some of the best players you're likely to see in a club anywhere in this country. On this night Wade (guitar) and Jeffrey (harp) got together as the Two Timers to do a set of hot'n'cool blues without the Cheats' terrific rhythm section. I love early blues artists who were able to kick up some major noise - and create a party - all on their own - sometimes just one man with a guitar - and that is what these two were emulating this night. We were treated to some Cheats' material (like Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips") but stuff that I've never heard them do, as well, like R.L. Burnside's "Skinny Woman" (one that I've always thought about covering!), Mississippi Fred McDowells's "You Got to Move" done on a vintage lap steel guitar, and "Play With Your Poodle" (done by so many blues cats and kittens that I don't know who originated it). I love watching these two do their thang since they are both superb musicians (if there's a better harp player in town, I wanna know about it cuz Jeffrey is a master!) and it was fun to see them in a more personal setting. See them any way you can!

 

Also playing was Beau Hodges, of the Beau Hodges Band ('natch!), accompanying himself simply with an acoustic guitar. I've seen his band electric and acoustic but never the man all on his own - and I never saw him play guitar before. This actually worked very well in this setting as Beau has a fantastic voice, with a great tone and full of emotion, and he is a charismatic character and a fine story-teller. He was self-deprecating regarding his playing ability, but I thought he handled it well and it fit the songs perfectly. His music is pretty unique but with plenty of touches of country, blues and folk. Really something to experience. Check him out in any of his incarnations!

Thank you to the Motor City Cafe for hosting these cats and thank you to those who made it out to share the experience!