Events

[BLUES] He’s 33 years old, but don’t let his young age fool you. Born in Austin, Texas, Gary Clark Jr. is one of very few young guitarists paving an insane new path of creativity and sound. He’s been named by Rolling Stone and the like as modernly influential, mentioned alongside some solid blues guys like Derek Trucks and John Mayer. Jimmie Vaughan, brother of Stevie Ray, discovered his music years ago and introduced him to the scene. He cites his inspirations as traditional blues artists like BB King, Elmore James and Albert King, influences very evident in Clark’s blues-heavy style. But there are elements of psychedelic rock and some funky soul and jazzy hip-hop type stuff in his music, too. He’s played with Eric Clapton, BB King and the Stones, even appearing at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2010. He recorded and wrote with Alicia Keys on Girl on Fire in 2012 and won a Grammy—so yeah, pretty diverse. Clark’s most recent album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, was released back in 2015. Most recently, he released a live album—he’s one of those guys whose live stuff is so much better than anything recorded in a studio (this doesn’t happen often.) Check out “Our Love” and “Things Are Changin’,” both live. Oh, and “Bright Lights” from Blak and Blu. It’s one of those things you really, really should hear live, and you can at Canalside on Thursday, June 15. And for 5 bucks, come on.