Life on Yavin IV: K-MAX ROCKS THE ROCK

Life on Yavin IV

Hello there. I'm Jedi Knight G. Since the creation of the New Jedi Order by Master Skywalker, the Jedi have been free to take part in previously forbidden activities. One of those being Marriage. The following are the tales of my experiences being married with children. May the force be with you...G.

3.30.2006

K-MAX ROCKS THE ROCK

"Impressive. Most impressive." - Darth Vader

Kmax came to Sticky Fingerz Rock-N-Roll Chicken Shack this past Wednesday. It was an awesome show. Full band. LOUD! I know what you're thinking. What is a Rock-n-Roll Chicken Shack and who has the Sticky Fingerz? I had no idea myself till I was checking on kevinmax.com as I do regularly and discovered he'd be performing in Little Rock. So I checked it out. It's very house of blues'ish. Got some New Orleans flava as well. Cool place here's the website. Check it out sometime.

Anyway, back to the show. The opening act started at 8:30, solo guitarist Brennen Strawn. He's currently touring with Kmax as they're both on Northern Records. This guy was a great performer. Jenn and I both loved his sound. Very haunting and thought provoking lyrics. Jenn said he had a great falsetto. Did I spell that right? She's correct, dudes got a great vocal range. I can see why he's touring with Kmax. Both are extremely creative, poetic & unique. Of course, watching him play the guitar is a whole'nother issue. Dude kept hiking his left leg while performing. (yep hike, like a dog and a tree) He was really getting into the music like a schizophranic crack addict trying to vouge. I think that describes it. But dude could sing! I looked him up on Northern's website and couldn't find him. Then I spotted a pic of him in a band on Northern called Monarch. That was him. He's the lead singer and guitarist. Well, I'm getting dude's album. Done.

The next band that performed was a local group called Outerbanks. They were good as well, but nowhere near the level of Kmax & the spastic Brennen Strawn. They did put on a great show, however. I know these guys can rock, the guitarist was playing Rush "Tom Sawyer" riffs for soundcheck. Oh yeah! Gimme some RUSH!

Anywho, when they were finished they started getting the stage ready for Kevin Max. After some internal debate (that's an important part of this story) I decided that I needed to go ahead and do my business before they started so I wouldn't miss anything. So up I go to the men's room located just left of the stage. As I started to push open the door my Jedi power kicked in and it opened itself. Being slightly off balance from the sudden Jedi power boost (most have been the sticky fingerz bacon fries) I leaned in a little more than I was ready to and came really close to head butting Kmax! Yep. Seems as if he had had the same conversation with himself and decided to take care of business before performing. Good call Kev. After politely exchanging the masculine head nood (you know where you nood your head up quickly) we parted company and I went to finish. At that point I was glad that I waited to go. Not sure if I wanted the image of my favorite singer/performer standing over the urinal in my head. Nope. I mean the rest room didn't even have the dividers...come on. Give a guy some privacy! Install the dividers. Anyway. As I'm washing my hands I hear the crowd going crazy. (he really did wait till the last minute) Kmax is thanking everyone and I'm looking for a towel. No towels! First no dividers and now no towels! The air thing didn't work either. Man. Love the food - love the music - not so happy with the restroom. So I use my pants/shirt and go sit back down.
The show was incredible here's the set-list.
(at least that's as I can remeber)

Confessional Booth
The Imposter
Sanctuary
Seek
What If I Stumble
{Poetry Reading} always a favorite of mine
I Need You/The End
The Royal Path of Life
Jumpstart Your Electric Heart
{a song from the band "YOUTH"}
21st Century Darlings

Brennen strawn came back out and played guitar for Kevin as well as provided backing vocals. Honestly I think I had just as much fun watching him perform as I did Kmax. He was all over the stage, constantly jerking his head backwards "who's behind me!" hiking his leg, and just getting crazy with the guitar. Question. If someone was having a seizure, would you give them a blunt object? NO! They'll wack you relentlessly with it. I think that thought may have crossed Kevin's mind a couple of times. He nearly got clipped at least 3 times. Once he literally threw his hands up in self defence as he dodged a blow. Brennen definately gets lost in his music.

So the show was great and I'm glad my wife was able to go with me. We had a great time. Thanks babe, it wouln't have been as fun without you. (+5 points for sweet comment) We get up and head to the front where Kmax is just hanging out and chatting, signing things and what not. I get a t-shirt, a very cool looking tee at that, and a photo to get signed. I get to him and we just talk for a minute. Man that was great. This guy knows who his fans are and really appreciates them. You rock Kmax! That pic is going on my wall in my new office at work. Along with the autographed CD from the last concert.

Of course I didn't think to bring a camera so I've got no pics to share. Bummer. I'm hoping to get some pics from another group that was there. If I do I'll post them. Until then here's some Kmax wallpapers I did a couple of years ago.

Also, for those of you unfamiliar with Kevin Max's music (his tunes are streamed on his website) here's some lyrics from a couple of his songs. He's a very good writer, his lyrics can stand with or without music. If you read it and go..."huh? I didn't get that." That's the point. You're not supposed to just be able to capture the meaning with just one read or listen. It's deeper than that. Not the shallowness that so fills the airwaves today. Sorry if I sound all 'deep & philisophical' on you. Can't help it. I get that way when I listen to this guy. That's why I like him. He challenges you.

Sanctuary

I tried everything to find you
I even took the stairway to hell
I wrote these words down to remind you
that I know life is never pass or fail

so hand me the keys to your kingdom
give me back my garden of Eden
lead me to a place that I can call my own

a home
a sanctuary
home

and we are standing on the edge of it
trying to make some sense of it all
the fear is building and the hatred
until you know we're left with nothing left at all
you know i'm falling

so hand me the code to your gates of knowledge
teach me the truth I never learned in college
lead me through the valley, let me find a place called

home
a sanctuary
home
and it's the archeticture of peace
and it's the streets that lead to release
and it's the hallways and doorways of hope
and its a place that we call
home

(home-I tried everything to find you
home- I lost everything to find you)

the military Is leading tours through town
a couple more weeks and the walls come down
I don't care if its East or West
I just need to get some rest, I'm
home

and it's the archeticture of peace
and it's the streets the lead to release
and it's the hallways and doorways of hope
and it's a place that we call home

sha la, sha lalala sha la
sha la lalalala sha la sha lalala la la
home.

Dead End Moon

As the sand shifts cool beneath your feet
By the light of a dead end moon
Your haunted fingers on my skin so sweet
Your hair like darkest loom
Like a cherub left to gather moss
Like a ship without its sail that's tossed
Like a vassal to his kingdom lost
My soul so pale

Oh my lonely heart
Oh my soulless girl
Will you ever let me go
I don't wanna cry no more
And here I wander aimless
I just want to find the cure
To my growing weakness
And the one who wanders is not lost
My friend

From on top a moorish wall i stand
I see the valley stretching
The mist of seas are pulling in
From your cliff I'm stranded
Embedded in your body deep
Lie answers to the questions
Like a garden hidden from the keep
How long I've waited

Oh my lonely heart
Oh my soulless girl
Will you ever let me go
I don't wanna cry no more
And here I wander aimless
I just want to find the cure
To my growing weakness
To my only weakness

Oh dark mistress, my only salvation
If only to hold you in blessed suspension
Eyes that hold midnight, smile that brings out light
Strange fascination, my only placation

I don't wanna cry no more
And here I wander aimlessly
I just want to find the cure
To this infernal sadness
I don't wanna cry no more
And here I wander aimlessly
I just want to find the cure
To my growing weakness

posted by G. @ 10:40 AM

1 Comments:

At 7:08 AM, Capt. C said…

Dude,

It sounds like you had a blast. I think that maybe you should have brought your camera, because some of this sounds like a little stretch... "Jedi power"!

Great blog. Love ya,
tlc