As luck would have it, the Fabulous Thunderbirds performed live at Akkurat in Stockholm last night. It was an unannounced, unplublicized gig, on the way back from a festival in Finland, that provided 90 minutes of high octane Texas-style electric blues in a small local club. The latest incarnation of the band features co-founder Kim Wilson on vocals and harmonica ripping through classic songs as well as new material from their latest album Painted On. Wilson's vocals are in excellent shape and he did a rockin 12 minute harmonica solo that had everyone, Wilson included, sweating up a storm.
Recent additions to the band, including dualing guitarists Kirk Fletcher and Nick Curran, added a new energy not seen in recent years. Kirk added a lot of soul with his screeching Jim Shur custom Strat-style custom guitar. Nick Curran, the youngest of the group, delivered precise and focused guitar parts with a classic Stratocaster sound while barely breaking a sweat. The highlight, for me was a dualing solo that had both players with their axes behind their necks playing in perfect harmony while practically grinding into each other. Curran also provided lead vocals on several numbers including "Shoot me down." Ever the gentlemen, the band let a couple of local Swedish bluesmen join them up on stage.
Akkurat was as unlikely a setting for this gig as any you could imagine. It's a classic Stockholm landmark club famous for their cask conditioned ales, huge selection of imported beers and wide range of Whiskeys. Akkurat has become a hangout for local musicians and last night the place was hopping with just about every famous name on the Swedish music scene. There were several hundred people jammed into the club and the normally reserved Swedes got into the T-birds in a big way.
If you get a chance, catch the T-Birds live. They're touring throughout the east coast and midwest with a few west coast gigs through the summer and fall. Unfortunately, I doubt you'll find a venue as intimate as Akkurat, but you never know where they might show up unannounced. Also, watch for news of a live album later this year.
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