Born of a jam session as good bands often are, Porkpie & the Northend Allstars began when Hipbone Sam introduced Kirk Lonbom and Craig Wood at a last-Friday jam at Abe’s Southside Pub back in Sept. 2011 and suggested they play some songs with “drum junkie” Jeff Bechtel. Wood, a veteran of St. Louis blues bands, had just moved back to town when pal Gary Best encouraged him to start a group. And so they did with a first gig in March 2012. Rooted in the electric blues, Porkpie & the Northend Allstars also toss in classic R&B and ’70s funk to spice up the show. Last month the group “had the pleasure of opening for Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers” and recently played at Blue Monday for the local blues club. With Wood as Porkpie (bass, vocals), the band consists of Lonbom (lead guitar) and Bechtel (drums, vocals) as the core group with a varying collection of all-stars that generally includes the lovely Donna Rees on guitar and vocals and Zack Fedor on harmonica and vocals, with other occasional guests.
Porkpie & the Northend Allstars
with Texas Trucker Speed Fiends
Friday, Oct. 12, 8pm-12am
Boondocks
