nightlifesux.com : Siouxland’s Nightlife Authority

If you find yourself strolling along Hollywood’s Rock Walk of Fame you’ll see names like Aerosmith, Dylan, Hendrix, Simmonds… Simmonds? That’s right, Kim Simmonds, the enduring front man for the famed British blues/rock band Savoy Brown, has earned his place among Rock and Roll royalty. From his humble beginnings in small clubs in London to sharing some of the world’s biggest stages with international stars like Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and Fleetwood Mac, Simmonds has helped form the British rock sound prevalent in so many artists today. In the mid 1960’s Simmonds and the Savoy Brown Blues Band were not only one of the first racially mixed bands to tour, they were also one of the first blues band to record.

Rock legend Kim Simmonds

Thursday night, area music lovers were treated to a special performance as Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown graced the stage of the Sioux City Live Music Club. The white-hot power trio ripped through two killer sets of new tunes and classic Savoy hits for the large, seasoned crowd. Simmonds set the tone for the evening with the opening tune “Long As I’ve Got You” from their 2007 CD “Steel”, stating that as long as he has you, the fan, life is good. The band continued to warm up the crowd with a few more new tunes before bringing them to their feet with one of Savoy’s biggest hits “Street Corner Talkin”.  Simmonds proved why he remains in demand 43 years after his debut, with tasty guitar licks and thought-provoking lyrics. After a break which allowed fans to catch their breath, the second set rolled on with Simmonds showing his versatility with some sharp harmonica skills. The harp play lead into one of the highlights of the evening with a smoking rendition of their 1972 hit “Hellbound Train”. As the band completed the second set, the raucous crowd hit their feet demanding one more. Simmonds and the boys obliged the loyal fans with the slide guitar-driven encore of ”Tell Mama”.

At the close of the show a weary Simmonds recognized the efforts of the non-profit music club stating, “I hope this idea spreads across the country. All of our hearts are in the same place tonight”. That is the beauty of the shows put on by the recently formed Sioux City Live Music Club…the love of music instead of money. The grass roots organization has played host to several top shelf acts since forming last summer, and from the looks of the satisfied Savoy crowd, there is alot more to come. For more information check their website, www.myspace.com/siouxcitylive, or call 712/251/6432.

A recent trip to the new Evelyn Larson Theater in support of some actor-types I am acquainted with was an eye-opening experience. The little I knew about the Frank McGuinness play, “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” and some encouragement from a friend, was enough to convince me to take a chance with these local thespians. We approached it like we do most entertainment, “Let’s take a big bite of this pie.” So we called ahead for reservations for dinner and the show. Having been in the new theater several weeks ago, I was imagining dining on a tray in our laps. Much to my surprise the theater has a nice little dining area with a welcoming atmosphere, some unique original art on the walls and a nice view of the…uh, “bustling” downtown. After enjoying a nice meal prepared by Chef Paul and family, they let us bring in our own tasty bottle of merlot, we made our way into the theater.

Shot in the Dark has created a cozy theater that offers patrons an up close encounter with the actors. When the lights dimmed, I was swept away from the norm of Sioux City. The environment had an eclectic feel that set the tone for the performance to come. The entire play takes place in a prison cell, or room as the Englishman refers to it, in Lebanon. The actors, Christopher Gaul as Michael the Englishman, Garie Lewis as Edward the Irishman and Bryan Deck as Adam the American carry a heavy load of dialogue in the sparce stage setting. All three men do an excellent job of taking you into the confines of the stone walls of their Arab captors. Director Jamie Lempares has done a nice job staging this three-man play. The actors play off of each other quite well and appeared to have some chemistry brewing considering it was only the second performance. Gaul and Lewis handle the  respective dialects of their portrayed homelands with considerable skill. The storyline holds the audience with a good mix of humor in the otherwise “deep” drama. The local actors show a great range of emotions as they take you through the lonley days of imprisonment. You also get an interesting sense of “country” from each the players. A song performed by Lewis and local musician Mike Langley, adds a nice touch to a critical scene change.

Overall I enjoyed the experience. Some distractions from a neighboring church challenged the actors at times but the men left me wondering if the blips were intentional or not. I highly recommend spending a night out to catch this piece of local theater. Lempares and his crew have obviously paid the dues necessary to pull off a performance this demanding. The show runs April 23, 25 and May 1 and 2. All performances are dinner shows, with the play starting at 8:00pm. A little tip…don’t sit in the far back left of the theater…you may have to fight a furnace vent to hear some of the intricate dialogue.