nightlifesux.com : Siouxland’s Nightlife Authority

It’s been said that the blues had a baby and it’s name is rock and roll.

One Northwest Iowa band has embraced this musical union with a passion. The Jacob Lee Band is gaining fans throughout the area with a rocking mix of classic rock and blues. Led by young guitar wizard Jacob Lee, this band of college students play a brand of music that was created before they were born. The set list might include some Hendrix, ZZ Top and maybe even AC/DC. Lee drives this high-energy show with his strong guitar performance, however lead singer Natha Ohlinger draws audiences in with her captivating voice and delivery. Drummer Russell Weller and bass player Jeff Kuhns provide a solid rhythm section to anchor the soaring Lee.

The band has been performing throughout the Midwest including an appearance at the 2009 Harvest Jam in Chicago and an opening slot for rockers LA Guns. Sioux City music fans will have a chance to catch this young band at the Chesterfield on Friday, January 22. Weller says they are excited to return to Sioux City and look forward to meeting new fans.

The old saying, “Variety’s the very spice of life,…” was certainly true of the musical offerings last week in Sioux City. From a Hall of Fame band from Texas to a miniature musician from Texas, I was fortunate to soak in a week of killer music.

Wednesday, August 5, ZZ Top performed 90 minutes of Texas rock and blues for a small, but enthusiastic, Tyson crowd. The trio stayed true to their roots with a basic stage set that focused on the power of the three-man barrage. After establishing the fact that Sioux City is a blues town, lead guitarist Billy Gibbons squeezed the Southern blues out of every guitar lick. They managed to jam most of their big hits and a tasty cover of Jimi’s “Foxy Lady” into the short set. A planned encore which featured the everlasting hit “La Grange”, brightened the spirits of the slightly disgruntled crowd. The “Lil’ ol’ band from Texas” still has some kick.

Fridays on the Promenade is enjoying a great season this summer, and this week’s performance by G.B. Leighton was no exception. The pop/rock group from the Twin Cities started out a little slow, but cranked it up as the scorching sun slid behind the skyline. The skillful instrumentals and wonderful harmonies earned the first standing ovation of the season. The hard-working Leighton and the band earned an FOTP first when the crowd worked them for an encore. The band performed one more as the crowd danced their way to the front of the stage.

Later that night, a small group of music fans were treated to an evening of acoustic music by a “little” guitar boy from Texas. Kyle Becker, was strumming his guitar outside the gates of the Promenade when he was invited to play at the local Eagles Club. The young man had 30 or 40 minutes of material he had obviously polished, beyond that the songs were hit and miss. Local musician Patio Patty joined in the fun, helping fill the night out. To his credit, the young troubadour kept the small and rowdy crowd entertained into the early morning hours. The four-foot-something, Becker proved that not everything in Texas is big.

An impromptu gathering of local musicians at a private birthday party topped off my musical martini. The trio of Rick Brienzo, Bob Snodgrass and Adam Chilton played a smoking set of funky instrumentals that proves there are some fantastic players in Sioux City. A young lady, known only as Angela, stepped in, layering the words from random songsheets into the complex tunes the boys were laying down. The icing on the, uh, cupcake, was an appearance by veteran musician Dave Brienzo. Dave was a big part of several local bands including, Big Boss Band. He sat in for a couple of songs, treating the birthday girl and her invited guests to some tasty blues/rock guitar.

If you get out into the scene, the Sioux City nightlife is a smorgasbord of entertainment. I recommend breaking out of your rut, try something new this week. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.