That familiar descent into Midwestern winter—capricious swings of the mercury meter, the smell of wood fires in the air, jackets and coats in early November—was a mere passing note to Kansas City music lovers at The Brick’s benefit show for the New Jersey Sandy Relief Fund. Along with opening act Band 13, John Velghe and the Prodigal Sons brought back the warmth of summer with heart-felt musical storytelling and impeccable songwriting.
Shaun Lindsey, Russ Bright, and Darin Watson of Band 13 began the evening with a solid set of compositions, exploring stylistic themes ranging from driving post-gen X-influenced rock to sublime pieces and groovy interludes. Alternating between harmony, counterpoint vocal melody, or pure doubling, Band 13 knows how best to present their lyrical intentions. Staying true to many of their noted influences, they successfully wove shades of ‘70s-era fusion and a touch of throwback ska throughout the night’s set—setting them apart from more typical power-trio fare.
Of note were two songs in particular: “The Sweet Majestic,” a light, infectious tune hearkening back to a time of three-chord, root-fifth-octave-turnaround jams, and “The Last New Mystery,” filled with funky double-time choruses and heavy, half-time staccato riffs.
It would be a shame not to mention Band 13’s unabashed showing of KC’s altruism, as the benefit gig coincided with bass player Bright’s 10-year anniversary—his wife in attendance, supportive of her husband’s choice to play a show for a good cause, regardless of the timing.
John Velghe and the Prodigal Sons arrayed themselves on stage admirably, considering both their abundance of personnel (seven counted) and the intimate nature of The Brick’s available performance space. The arrival of Gretsch guitars, fretless bass and a 3-piece horn section pointed to a potentially fascinating turn of the night’s musical tastes, but the established vibe was happily continued as listeners were taken in by heartfelt earnestness and rootsy, open tales.
Delivering his lyrics with conviction, Velghe begs to be taken at face value while subtly suggesting that repeat listens would reveal depths, pains, and pleasures casual passersby would otherwise miss out on. With a vocal tone that evokes English post-punk, Velghe nevertheless manages to dive deep into his own staked-out corner of the impassioned singer/songwriter, never looking back.
With their frontman alternating between swooping verbal passages and plaintive, soulful remarks, the Prodigal Sons provided precise, polished-yet-edgy backing. The confident and supremely tight rhythm section, perfectly pitched dual guitar crunch and texturally-employed horn section brought a sonic wash, an unmatched canvas of sound-as-set piece on which life’s experiences might be expressed to the crowd, proffered for personal consideration. Well layered at all stages, not a step was missed.
–Mark Johnson
