The Marcus King Band and Ida Mae forged the ultimate barn burner Wednesday night at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom.

Written By | Walter Lytz

View more photos of Marcus King Band HERE

The Marcus King Band and Ida Mae forged the ultimate barn burner Wednesday night at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom. The Marcus King Band is touring in support of their third full-length LP Carolina Confessions which was released last month.

View more photos of Ida Mae HERE

UK duo Ida Mae opened the show. Former founders of rootsy alternative rock group Kill It Kid, husband and wife team of Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jen style is a tribute to the American pre-jazz era.

Their sound combines Mississippi delta blues, folk and ragtime with a rock flair. Guitarist Turpin’s distorted slide guitar riffs are catchy invoking the venerable Elmore James. Piling some powerful vocals on top, Ida Mae had the crowd emphatically foot-stomping the entire set. To boot, Turpin’s collection of instruments had every guitar nerd fidgeting uncomfortably attempting to conceal any noticeable changes in trouser profile.

View more photos of Marcus King Band HERE

If Ida Mae brought the matches and liquid starter, then The Marcus King Band finished the job with flamethrowers and guided missile air-strikes. The raspy voiced King emits a heartfelt “How ya feelin’ Nashville!” and immediately elicits the proverbial unfastening of female undergarments.

The Marcus King Band fuses electric blues, rock & roll, R&B and southern soul. If through some miracle of reproduction Duane Allman and James Brown conceived, that offspring might grow up to sound something like Marcus King. Bluesy guitar solo’s, horns and some of the raddest keyboard playing you’ll hear. And they do it all night long.