With Skynyrd’s God and Guns pumping through the speakers, the crowd is getting heavier and more tightly packed in Bristol’s Thekla (boat-turned-dive-bar) tonight, waiting for blues-rocker Kris Barras.
It’s amazing to think his last visit prompted a crowd of 30 to buy tickets and now he has his very own eager and packed audience.
Buffalo Summer are getting things going with their southern-tinged brand of bluesier classic rock, setting the tone for the evening. Their blue-collar lyrics and hair swinging antics even have the glassy-eyed beer-swillers at the back smiling and nodding along.
Looking around when Kris and his band are on, surely the cool kids are here to be hipster and tattooed, but when KB whips out a Fender and chants his ‘woah woah woah’s’ the crowd abides.
The set is swinging from blues cool to old-school rock ‘n’ roll, bringing it back to a new audience, backed by Elliott Blacker (bass), Will Beavis (drums) and some crafted ivory-bashing from Josiah J Manning on keys.
Songs from the Divine and Dirty album like Stitch Me Up and Kick Me Downwould make perfect background noise for a (rock fan’s) dinner party, but then you’re hit with a scream to make you spill your spag bol.
You believe every word of I Don’t Owe Nobody Nothing and the beautifulWatching Over Me, written for the man who taught him guitar since the age of five, his father, who passed away. Moments like this really gets your spine tingling.
During tonight’s jam session, they’re getting the Led out and infusing it with some blues tinkering. Kris is lost in his own moments of characterful playing and powerful vocals; the guy is so harmonious it hurts.
You want blues, you’re gonna get it. Kris and his band know how to entertain a new audience, while knowledgeable enough to know how to keep it sounding classic.
Planet Rock playlisted Hail Mary and Lovers or Losers are ending the set on a high note in more ways than one. Let’s hope Kris and the boys make it back to the boat soon with their biggest crowd to date.
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