Indianapolis, IN. – It may have been a cold and rainy night in Indy, but that didn’t keep fans from coming out to see a “schooling” in the Memphis / Mississippi blues scene at the Hi-Fi in Fountain Square. The Dickinson brothers of North Mississippi Allstars were back in town and brought along their good friends, Southern Avenue, for a great night of blues that got fans packed into this quaint lil music joint on a Thursday evening.
Kicking the night off was Memphis blues sensation, Southern Avenue. This 5-piece powerhouse featuring Ori Naftaly (guitar), sisters Tierinii Jackson (vocals) and Tikyra Jackson (drums), Jeremy Powell (keyboard), and Evan Sarver (bass) are definitely a band to add to the must see list for a grooving night of soulful, in-your-face, traditional Memphis blues that will get your feet moving and booty shakin’. Currently out in support of their second album, the 2019 release Keep On, Southern Avenue is making a name for themselves with nothing but good vibes and a message of hope and love that are turning first-timers into continued fans.
PHOTO GALLERY: Southern Avenue
With a short change over of gear, the North Mississippi Allstars, made up of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar/vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums/vocals) along with Jesse Williams (bass), took to the stage to tech their own gear before kicking into a foot stomping set of blues that in their own words could be described as “trimming back the wisteria…firing up the tube amps…begin conjuring up modern Mississippi music: ancient and futuristic.”
Touring in support of their 2019 release, Up and Rolling, NMA are continuing to explore their roots and push the blues rock genre to new heights. Currently nominated by The Blues Foundation for Contemporary Blues Male Artist (Luther) and Blues Rock Album (Up and Rolling), North Mississippi Allstars have come a long way since they first exploded onto the scene with their 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. This correspondent would like to give special note to the fact the new album Up and Rolling was conceived off a set of photographs by photographer Wyatt McSpadden to create a “snapshot” of Mississippi musicians in 1996 – NMA was just starting to make their imprint on the blues sound while paying respects to the elders of the Mississippi blues scene – Otha Turner, RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.
PHOTO GALLERY: North Mississippi Allstars
Show Date: 01/23/2020
Make sure to catch this blues power-packed line-up as North Mississippi Allstars continue across the U.S. on the Up and Rolling Tour with dates though April 2020 and be sure to watch for Southern Avenue out on the Keep On Tour with U.S. and European dates through spring 2020. Click the links above to see if either band will be at a town near you!
