Kevin Gordon - Swamp rock boogie

first published in NUVO newsweekly 
by: Nora Spitznogle 

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 8:30 p.m.

Spencer’s Stadium Tavern

$5

www.spencerstavern.com , www.kevingordon.net

Spencer Valentine, owner of Spencer’s Stadium Tavern, is looking forward to Kevin Gordon “putting a little swamp rock boogie in this old joint. It should get hot in here.” Valentine has been hosting music at his downtown tavern since St. Patrick’s Day.

Gordon is looking forward to his first trip to Indianapolis. “Playing live is a lot of fun. The people I meet, some of the insane things you see while traveling — it’s all good input for songwriting.” He’s touring with a bass player (Tom Comet) and a drummer (Rick Reed) and “loves the energy, the interplay between instruments, and the safety-in-numbers thing.”

Nashville, Tenn.-based Gordon grew up in Louisiana listening to Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles records playing on his parents’ console. That music struck a nerve and stirred his interest in performing. As you might expect from a published poet who holds an MFA degree from the University of Iowa’s prestigious Writers’ Workshop, Gordon’s songs are well-written. He combines them with roots-rock style and unpredictable intensity for blistering, interesting live show.

Gordon’s latest album, O Come Look at the Burning, is generating positive buzz everywhere from the Martha Stewart publication Body + Soul to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy. The Playboy review was a total surprise to Gordon. He heard about it from his stepdad, a loyal subscriber.

—Nora Spitznogle