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Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Eli "Paperboy" Reid brings Soul to the Capital!!!!

























Man, this guy has energy. Like a tightly sprung bundle of hot soul energy he screeched, yowed and hotdiggity-danged his way through a two hour set of white boy and memphis R&B. Polyester, sansa-belts and lounge shirts never sounded so good. Backed by a four piece - drums, bass, rhythm and keys (Korgs and Rhodes), Reid brought the ghosts of James Brown, Isaac Hayes and Screamin' Jay Hawkins to the Bodega on a frosty autumn night. Despite the slightly undernourished crowd there was a lot of love in the room. Warmed up by our own blues legend Darren Watson, ever the professional, Reid burst on to the stage with sharpened quiff and voice fully loaded, despite this being the last of a multi-month tour. You wouldn't know it. Reid seemed like a man posesssed. His delivery was sharp and professional, reading the audience and winding them up with southern style show banter - the very same that failed for BB King last week as it happens. Reid zipped through all the hits and misses from both albums before drawing out three encores, completing with his memorable screamer "Boom Boom". Reid's music was not familiar to most of the audience and that was clear. Yet, by the end of the night there were many looking longingly for cds to purchase. If you ask me, it was $50 well spent.


- The Coffeebar Kid.