Marcus King Band

[Shug]

I didn't mean it to sound like that or grandstand ya, mmjtx!  This is the kind of tour you could logistically see a couple straight nights, I'll have to see if I'm up for that!

[MMJTX]

oh i know! i just got so excited, definitely thinking of hitting all the Texas shows, would be awesome to see them in such small venues.

[Shug]

Just saw Marcus and band open for Tedeschi Trucks on the last two nights of the Wheels of Soul tour 2018 at Red Rocks.  Both sets were a mere 40 minutes.

I've only seen Marcus once, in an opening set well over a year ago. Before the shows, I wondered if maybe I'd built him up so much in my mind that they couldn't really live up to my expectations.  In the first 30 seconds of his first song, that idea was banished to a far off galaxy by the mind-bending, soul-lifting, ecstasy-inducing intensity, passion, mastery and inspiration of his music. 

The SRV comparisons I have made in the past were only reinforced.  The feeling I got from seeing Marcus was the same I got from seeing SRV.  Its total inspiration from the Divine straight into Marcus and straight out of his guitar.  He is a force of nature, a genius of his craft making it seem effortless.  He and SRV are the best guitar players I have seen live.

His set on the second night that peaked with Derek Trucks sitting in on an instrumental version of Les McCann's Compared To What, is now in my top five live experiences of all time.  It left me speechless in ecstasy at what I had just heard. The raging blues rock, of course, but the Memphis soul/R&B and good God, the funky jazz!!!  This shit is on the level of Miles and Coltrane and Hendrix and SRV for me.

And that is even before he came out to sit in with Tedeschi Trucks on an incendiary In Memory of Elizabeth Reed!

I CANNOT stop RAVING about the brilliance of Marcus fucking King!!!

Three more shows, all headlining ones, for me at the end of this month and I cannot fucking wait!!!!

[rkwedge]

Nice write up Shug. Good God him and Derek Trucks, must have been amazing. Isn't Carl playing at the Marcus King Band Family reunion in Oct.? Would love to see those two do something together also.

[MMJTX]

Ever since I heard (i think from this board) about MKB about a year and a half ago, I have been obsessed and patiently waiting for a tour through Texas. Well he's coming through next month and playing at some very small venues (couple hundred) that im super pumped about. Thinking of making the tri-fecta trip (Houston -> Austin -> Dallas) all in one weekend.

Loved reading your review from his RR sets. Really thought about going to those.

[APR]

Wow Shug.  That's high praise coming from you.  It's so great that he can blow your mind like that.  Enjoy the trifecta of solo shows.  I bet they'll be both longer and better (although that sounds impossible after reading your review).

[Shug]

Yeah, APR, what a gift from the universe to have another musician of this caliber who makes me feel that way come along.  I really didn't think it would happen in my lifetime after SRV passed away.  I know its high praise, but its sincere.  Of course not everyone is gonna respond the way I do, but MKB hits all the buttons for me, given my tastes and preferences.

Also these sets were short opening sets and it seemed like he crammed all the intensity of a 2 hour show into 40 minutes, which is incredible all by itself.  Plus the setting of Red Rocks, being the special invited guests of TTB, the last two nights of the tour, lots of variables probably came into play to make these special.  I'm also not sure it can be topped or equaled, but I'm gonna find out!

I only saw SRV 9 times before he passed.  I'm older and wiser now, I know when someone like this comes along, I'm going as many times as I possibly can because life is short and you never know what's going to happen.

[Murph]

You sold me... just bought tickets for their NYC show in November

[Shug]

I hope you enjoy it.

I remember when SRV was alive and I was raving the same way about him plenty of people were dismissive of him - "he plays too many notes"  "he doesn't have real bluesman authenticity like Albert King and his influences"  "His brother Jimmy is way better because he knows how to be restrained".  All entitled to their opinion, but I thought they were fucking crazy.  Marcus, like SRV, comes out, puts the pedal to the medal and goes from 0 to 120 mph instantly.  He doesn't let up and he never runs out of ideas.  Its not everyone's cup of tea but is sure as hell is mine!

[MMJTX]

I am so pumped about next week, i'm going to see him in Houston on Friday 8/24 and in Dallas on Sunday 8/26!!

[Derek713]

I am so pumped about next week, i'm going to see him in Houston on Friday 8/24 and in Dallas on Sunday 8/26!!

I'll see you at the Houston show. A buddy of mine went to grab his ticket today after me hounding him not to miss it, and it's sold out. You are in for a treat. We caught him in Telluride last year (3 times in 2 days), and it was awesome!

[MMJTX]

I am so pumped about next week, i'm going to see him in Houston on Friday 8/24 and in Dallas on Sunday 8/26!!

I'll see you at the Houston show. A buddy of mine went to grab his ticket today after me hounding him not to miss it, and it's sold out. You are in for a treat. We caught him in Telluride last year (3 times in 2 days), and it was awesome!

Sounds good Derek! It's been a while since we've ran into each other at a show!
I also told a buddy to get tix but he waited too long, he may end up getting a resale ticket for more though. Gonna be crammed in that little room but I'm excited

[Shug]

New songs, sounds like Marcus is taking the songwriting to another level!

https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2018/08/21/640348035/the-marcus-king-band-is-tenacious-and-vulnerable-on-two-new-songs

[Shug]

MMJTX and Derek713, how were the shows you saw in Texas last week?

I made Phoenix and Tucson, did not make it to Flagstaff.  The Tucson show last night was the best I've seen them, it just seems to get better and better to me.  My thoughts during the show were that Marcus is the greatest guitarist alive today.  It just doesn't seem to be even a question, his playing is so staggeringly brilliant to me that it seems to me beyond obvious that he is the greatest in the world right now.  I'm racking my brain thinking of other guitar players alive and still playing are even in the conversation.  Derek Trucks for sure, especially the way he used to play with Warren Haynes when they were in the Allman Brothers, but now Derek's style is more gradual crescendos and a smooth flowing style that does not overpower, while Marcus is far more intense, non-stop rapid-fire shredding, but still so lyrical and melodic, which is what speaks to me more, so that is just my personal preference for Marcus over Derek based just on style, not ability or feel or passion.

Eric Johnson?  Larry Carlton? John McLaughlin? Jeff Beck?  Steve Vai? Joe Bonnamassa? I don't think so, not for me anyway. Certainly not Page or Clapton or Eddie Van Halen anymore. Same for Santana, Blackmore, Gilmour. Gary Clark Jr, Kenny Wayne Sheppard and Johnny Lang not in the same league at all. Warren Haynes doesn't play that way anymore.  Dickey Betts lost all his sharpness years ago. I can't think of anyone better than Marcus. Who else could be considered?

The highlight of Tucson was a 15 minute In Memory of Elizabeth Reed with Drew Smithers from opening band Bishop Gunn on second guitar, a Les Paul.  He is an excellent soloist and was a great foil to Marcus for dual/dueling leads. It was a mind-blowing display of passionate intensity and virtuosity and a loving celebratory homage to Duane and Dickey and the music they created.

I feel bad for those people who have been invited to see Marcus play live in clubs and have turned it down.  Talk about being on the wrong side of history.   It will be just like "My friends asked me to go see Stevie Ray Vaughan in 1984 and I turned them down. I was an idiot, what the fuck was I thinking?!?!"

[WickedMessenger]

Seeing him play on Tuesday in San Diego.  That is quite endorsement, looking forward to it!

[MMJTX]

So long story short I ended up having to leave the Houston show a little bit early, I made it over half-way through his set before having to leave (trust me, not my choice haha) but i knew i'd be seeing them in Dallas on sunday so i couldn't protest too much. What i saw in Houston was great! But what i saw in Dallas was straight fire.

It was a blast because i brought along 5 friends 3 of which had never heard or seen him and all of them were blown away.
MKB did a cover of Ohio that was awesome.

Was such a treat seeing him in a small venue with only 200-300 people, can't imagine that will be the case on his next go around in Texas!

[DaydreamNation]

Bump!

Seeing this dude live for the first time ever tonight, very excited. STL has been getting some great shows post-pandemic

[MMJTX]

Awesome! He's so great live. Enjoy your show!

[MMJTX]

2022 Tour Dates announced

https://marcuskingband.com/

[ChiefOKONO]

How Marcus King Turned a Dark Period Into a Blistering Rock Album

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/marcus-king-anxiety-new-album-young-blood-1377343/