Thursday, September 22, 2016

Steve Gunn- September 17, 2016- Cactus Club, Milwaukee,WI

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch
Make no mistake about it, Steve Gunn is one of modern music's truly great guitarists- even if you may have not heard of him yet.  With a repertoire of influences that spans from classical Indian music to an affection for the jammier stylings of southern blues-rock artists, Gunn, delivered a riveting set of exceptional finger picking axemanship before a strong crowd in the intimate confines of the Cactus Club last Saturday evening.  There were many choices for music fans last Saturday- ranging from the Rock the Green Sustainability Fest to the Bayview Bash, but the strong turnout at the Cactus Club showed that Steve Gunn may be an artist who won't be under the radar for much longer.

Gunn delivers his licks with just his fingers, and seamlessly integrates his trippy guitar jams alongside the rhythmic forces of his airtight backing band, "The Outliers."  Gunn has been making music for fifteen years, and may be best known for his work in the bludgeoning Americana-blues-psych scene in Philadelphia as a regular member of Kurt Vile's band, "The Violators."  Now based out of New York, Gunn is turning heads with his two most recent studio recordings, 2014's Way Out Weather, and this year's stellar release Eyes on the Lines.  Melding together his multiple influences and taking on vocal duties, Gunn juxtaposes introspective and sometimes sparse lyrics alongside multi-layered complex guitar riffs that truly tell the stories of Gunns songs.

Highlights of Gunn's set included the heart gripping "Ancient Jules," off of Eyes on the Lines.  The gentle meanderings of "Nature Driver"caused an almost catatonic head-bob from the crowd.  Perhaps the most rivoting number was the jammed out rendition of "Way out Weather" off of 2014's album by the same name that came at the end of the performance.

Gunn may not be a household name yet, but may no mistakes about it- with chops as strong as his, and with his band, "The Outliers" jamming full-tilt, it's a great time to catch Gunn and his crew at small clubs while you can.
photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch