Even Hipsters Get the Blues: Sue G. Wilkinson Band at The Five Spot
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
By Summer Stanley.
Everybody knows you have to belt the blues. And when the lights grow dimmer, and the mood becomes softer, you have to croon them. Sue G. Wilkinson, along with her eight member band gets you high when you feel low, and when you’re low they get down with you.
A veteran musician, Sue G. Wilkinson tackles the keys at the Five Spot in a rousing performance, with a spunk equal to any barroom brawl. But the Five Spot is no saloon, and this band is far from dive-ey. Rather, they’re lively. When joined with the bass, guitar, drums, trumpet, saxophone, not to mention the diva-licious backup babes, The Sue G. Wilkinson Band is an experience in jumpin’ and jivin’.
Sue G.’s vocals are as uninhibited as the classic Janis Joplin with the higher, uproarious melody of the more modern Duffy. The song “Bitter Girl” evokes the 70’s during the era of Laura Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic.”
With their swaying hips and lustrous harmonies, the backup singers, Rachel Nussbaum and Linda Jackson bring R&B, Funk and Fusion themes, and positively seduce with the song “Hold My Heart.” Johnny Hibbert on sax and Miko (just Miko) on the trumpet, alongside Reese Harris on the drums summon the ghosts of the Big Easy with their New Orleans Brass style in “Work it out.”
The SGW Band brings the house down with “Big Black Woman,” wild and titillating as the after-church-basement-boogie-blues. Lee Spivey on guitar and Mike Cady on bass both deliver a heavy dose of rockin’ blue-eyed soul.
It seems apt that SGW Band boldly traverses genres in a venue such as the Five Spot, a bar that is also in the business of uniting different elements. The Five Spot pairs fine beers as well as a full bar with local art displays and live entertainment, performed on a stage backed by a giant movie projector for an engaging artistic experience.
The band attracts crowd of all ages, mostly hip with a significant number of admiring fellow musicians, and left standing room only to see The SGW band even though the performance fell in the midst of an ice storm. But once The Sue G. Wilkinson Band takes the stage, they light a fire. And it is hot!
For more info on The Sue G. Wilkinson Band as well as show dates: sonicbids.com
The Sue G. Wilkinson Band’s performs next at Shorty’s on February 19th. Bring your stomping shoes!
Tags: Atlanta bands, bass, blues, clubs, concerts, drums, Funk, Fusion, guitar, indie, live music, musicians, new music, nightclub, nightlife, R&B, r&b music, rock band, saxophone, Summer Stanley, The Five Spot, trumpet
More articles by Summer Stanley
This band is the best band ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about top notch musicians! The SGW Band is full of them! They’re all fabulous, but my favorite is the guitarist, Lee Spivey. He is the most versatile, awesome player I know!