Brian Setzer's Rockabilly Riot in Seattle!

Last night's Rockabilly Riot show in Seattle was outstanding!  Brian Setzer has been on my all time must see musician list for many many years. So to be able to make the trek south to see him and his band in Seattle was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. To begin with, the night opened with Cousin Harley, one of my favourite old time rockabilly bands.  Cousin Harley are fronted by one of the best guitarists of the genre, Paul Pigat.  I have seen this band a couple of times close to home, so it was the proverbial icing on the cake when I heard they were the opening band.  Needless to say, Paul Pigat blew everyone away with his fantastic guitar playing.  Being very close to the stage during the whole show, I was fortunate to see both Pigat and Setzer work the frets up close.  Highlights from  the Cousin Harley set had to be "Noodlin'" and "Jukin'".  I plan on seeing these guys play again!

Brian Setzer took the stage with one of my post-Stray Cats favourites, "Ignition" from the album of the same name.  Right away that set the tone for the rest of the show.  He played a wide variety of songs from his career including some from his BSO albums, including "This Cats on a Hot Tin Roof", "Drive Like Lightning(Crash Like Thunder)", etc.  He also included other stuff from Ignition!, as well as from the Rockabilly Riot Vol.1 album.  Setzer and Co. finished the evening off with a set of Stray Cats material, and brought in Slim Jim Phantom on drums.  Slim Jim I think is the skinniest man in rock, as well as one of the classiest, as he gave a very young fan (I think she was four? five? years old) a shirt that he hand delivered himself by walking into the audience.  Brian Setzer assembled an excellent band of musicians and put on one extremely entertaining show, including a three-man slap bass duel!  The drive to Seattle was well worth it;  an amazing evening of amazing music and performance!