Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Bobby Rush as Special Guest at The Pantages, Minneapolis, MN USA 17AUG2025
When SNL’s Molly Shannon portrays the iconic Sally O’Malley, she exclaims I’m 50 years old and like to “kick, stretch and kick.” …she has nothing on the also iconic Bobby Rush.
Bobby Rush is on tour with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and graced the stage at the Historic Pantages Theater Sunday, 17AUG2025. The setting was intimate (max capacity listed at 1014 seats) and stage forward with Kenny and his band acting as Bobby Rush’s backing band, seated and letting Bobby run the first part of the show. Bobby will be 92 in November and proud of his longevity in business and rightly so. Roots in Louisiana and Arkansas, later making his way to be a staple around Chicago. He is truly an amazing entertainer with years of influence and blues essence to share.
Back to Sally…Bobby can dance AND kick! The man has contagious energy that we all wish we will have at nearly 92 (if we even make it to that age)!
Bobby filled the air with his harmonica and soulful singing. Interacting with the crowd and even taking stand up comedy moments with naughty adult juke joint humor that a man of his age has no repercussion. Mr. Rush is a treasure!
Many shows that pair a senior blues artist with an up and comer, have a formula where the opener is the young band. The headliner is the veteran, then they play together as an encore.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd is no “up and comer.” He is a solid member of the here and now.
This tour is woven to give Bobby Rush a complimentary backing band and KWS Band is a nice fit! A collaborative album “Young Fashioned Ways” (a nod to Muddy Waters song of the same name) is top notch listen. Both song writers build on seasoned melodies and lyrics that show tradition and power.
After intermission, Bobby took a well-deserved rest, and we got the full Kenny Wayne Shepherd band to take the stage. The tour had songs from the new “Dirt on my Diamonds Vol II.” Driving guitar and harmonies by Kenny and Noah Hunt backed by horns and amazing New Orleans piano of Joe Krown. The show was a treat! Noah Hunt vocals on the powerful “Blue on Black” was saved for the encore.
Bobby Rush did come out to close the performance with KWS Band. Really nice flow in the show.
Follow the remainder of the tour at https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/
Mark Toth, for SOUNDMINNESOTA.COM
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