When it comes to Bob Schneider, you really are dealing with a box of chocolates. You know when (Friday night at 8pm) and where (Jim Porter's on Lexington Road), you just can't be certain of the "what".
Schneider is a musical chameleon, morphing from the funkiest of funk into a samba romp into extraordinarily raw and personal acoustic rock. It's easily arguable that he's the most talented musician recording and touring in 2010 although you might have a hard time finding enough people to back up that argument. His fanbase in Texas is huge. Kentucky? Not so much.
This isn't his first turn in the Derby City; WFPK was wise enough to host Schneider at a Waterfront Wednesday event a couple of years ago. Those that were there know what to expect: ANYTHING.
His latest effort, Lovely Creatures, is an amalgam of all the aforementioned genres with, perhaps, a little extra heartache involved thanks to a recent divorce. Although "Changing Your Mind", an exceedingly sad duet with songstress Patty Griffin does eventually giveway to "Tarantula", a rerecording of a bouncy party number from Schneider's past (a favorite from his days in The Scabs).
So I figure we'll see two types at Porter's: Huge fans and adventurous but discerning fans of really well constructed and tightly performed live music.
Nashville's Steve Palmer Band opens, starting at 7pm.
Get your tickets online at http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=1163905 [4]