Tuesday July 26, 2022 had me heading back to Goldfields Trading Post in Sacramento, California. Tonight’s selection was the Palestine, Texas based Blacktop Mojo. Opening for them was a local trio called Fallout Kings.
Fallout Kings were up first with a quick 30 minute set. This Folsom, California based group has been around for about 7 years and has built a pretty good resume during that time. Tonight, they had a fill in drummer, and with that you could tell their rhythm was a little off. That being said, they still put together a pretty solid set and the crowd really seemed to enjoy it. They played to covers during the set. Stone Temple Pilots’ “Sex Type Thing” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell”
Fallout Kings are:
Xander Roberts -Vocals/Guitars
Uriah Stivers -Drums
James Leu -Bass/Backing Vocals
Shane Grenert – drums (fill in)
Blacktop Mojo hit the stage about 9pm with their Texas blues rock to an eager crowd. Goldfield’s smallish stage was a little limiting for a stage show but the band worked every inch of it they could. Matt James danced and sang his way all over the stage eventually donning a guitar and finally a bass at the end. The bass player, man, what can I say? Matt Curtis is a total showman and has the chops to back it up. I could seriously watch him do a bass solo for an hour and be entertained. The rest of the band was totally on point as well as they rolled through their 17 song set of songs spanning their career together. This band is full of amazing musicians and performers and it showed on stage. One of the fun ones was a, stripped down, cover of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” as a sing along with the crowd. Their version of “Tush” by ZZ Top was also stellar and a great addition to the encore. Why I haven’t seen this band live before now?
Blacktop Mojo are:
Matt James – vocals
Nathan Gillis – drums
Matt Curtis – bass
Chuck Wepfer – guitar
Malcolm Booher – guitar
Set list:
1). All Mine Now
2). Strike Me
3). End of Days
4). Bed Tundy
5). Do it For the Money
6). In the Air Tonight
7). Band Jam
8). Darling I won’t tell
9). It won’t last
10). Can’t Sleep
11). Latex
12). Pyromaniac
13). Wicked Woman
14). Where the Wind Blows
ENCORE
15). Burn the Ships
16). Tush (ZZ Top cover)
17) Prodigal
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Photographer of about 10 years, I have been shooting concerts for about 8 of those years. I started to get serious about concert photography about 6 or 7 years ago and now try to shoot as many as I can. I shoot mostly rock but, have done some country and big band stuff. I love music and since I am nowhere close to being a musician, this is a way I can be a small part of what, in the words of Henry Rollins, “gets me through the highs, the lows and everything in between”.
