Steve Gunn- 4/18/19, Cactus Club

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Masterfully blurring together aspects of country, folk, blues, jazz, and psychedelic rock, Steve Gunn’s guitar work has earned him the reputation of being one of the best performers in the business today. However, Gunn’s songwriting and lyrics, especially on his latest release The Unseen In Between, which dropped this January, have helped establish him as an amazing singer-songwriter act who has the power to transport his listeners on a journey that defies both time and space.  Gunn is touring in support of The Unseen In Between, a nine song record that showcases his finest songwriting to date-- taking listeners on a cross-country trip punctuated by Gunn’s keen observations of the characters and experiences he’s encountered along the way.  There is something universally relatable and simultaneously transcendental about Gunn’s music. His lyrics often leave lots of room for interpretation, allowing listeners to insert themselves into Gunn’s tales. This is seen particularly on the track, “New Moon,” which leads off The Unseen In Between with the lines, “I see a glimmer, across the wall, through the mirror, out past the streets, beyond the weather, to that place no one seems to know.”  There is a masterful intracity between Gunn’s lyrics and singing and the guitar work that creates a rich fabric of timbres. Gunn’s music, songwriting and expression cannot be confined to any one style or genre, and through his songcraft and performance, Gunn has become a “can’t miss” live performer.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Recently Steve Gunn packed the storied Cactus Club in Bay View, Wisconsin with droves of fans clamoring to hear Gunn’s songs and guitar stylings lined-up at the doors of the jam-packed venue.  Gunn is an unassuming presence live who lets the strength of his music do the talking. Donning a denim jacket, bright red Chuck Taylor’s and low-key grin, Gunn performed a masterful set to kick off the US leg of his tour in support of The Unseen In Between. Joined on stage with a killer backing band that included Paul Sukeena on guitar, TJ Maiani on drums, and Liam Cunningham on both upright and electric bass, Gunn entranced the audience from the first notes of “Wildwood,” a track off his 2014 Way Out Weather LP.  From there he launched full-throttle into The Unseen In Between with the stand-out “Vagabond.”  Other choice cuts from Gunn’s most recent LP like “Chance,” and “New Moon,” were on-point live.  The set highlight, however, was a spellbinding rendition of “Lightning Field,” dedicated to everyone who showed up to the show.  The jam in the middle of the track and guitar solo hold up as some of Gunn’s most nuanced and catchiest work to date. After a rich seventy-five minutes of music, Gunn closed his show with a beautiful encore of “Morning is Mended,” which featured Steve solo on stage with just his acoustic guitar and mad-scientist board of effects pedals.  The band then came back to join him for a vintage jam on “Way Out Weather,” also from the 2014 Way Out Weather record.  Steve Gunn is an amazing performer that you need to experience live.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch