Monday, November 18

Stephen Kellogg with The Saint Johns and Caroline Brooks in the 9th Ward

Tickets: $20 at Tickets.com, Babeville Box Office (M-F 11a-5p), Terrapin Station and Rust Belt Books or charge by phone 888-223-6000

7pm doors, 7:30pm show

Dan Smalls Presents Stephen Kellogg with The Saint Johns and Caroline Brooks in the 9th Ward.  In the great American tradition of musical troubadours and documentarians of society, Stephen Kellogg has been furrowing the great American roads with his band the Sixers and their brand of American rock and roll for the past decade. During that time, he has grown successful to the point of recognition of his artistic insights, to be asked to do a TED talk, which are only reserved for respected important artists and innovators. His theme relies on the realization that “it was better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb, than at the top of one you don’t”.

It is striking that having lived through a challenging and changing moment in life in 2012, including the decision of the band to take a hiatus, the musical result of this tumultuous period is “Blunderstone Rookery” which also coincides with a desire to visit England and plough his musical stories over there before returning to the US for a solo tour including Buffalo.

The title of the album “ Blunderstone Rookery” comes from the boyhood home of Kellogg’s favorite character in his favorite book, “David Copperfield”. The production of the album was shared with long time collaborator Kit Karlson and recorded in Bridgeport, CT – near home and mixed by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Monsters of Folk). It comprises 11 songs including the epic masterpiece “Thanksgiving” a 10-minute song that sums up the life of a man from birth to death, touching on love, marriage, raising a family, sickness, old age and mortality and underlines the record’s overall themes of hope, redemption and forgiveness.

Los Angeles Indie pop artist/songwriter, Caroline Brooks kick off the show followed by Americana duo The Saint Johns.