State Farm Insurance “King of the Roots” Band Competition
By Kevin Walsh
Hey y’all. I’ve been cruising around the state emceeing the regional showcases for the State Farm Insurance “King of the Roots” band competition. These are being sponsored by Thumper Productions in connection with the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival coming up.
There are four events altogether: Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield, with the winners convening at the Blue Note on August 27 to determine which band will take the main stage at October’s Boone County Bank Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival. It is a unique setup and so far all of the radio sponsors have been community stations with blues-heavy program schedules (KOPN in Columbia, KKFI in Kansas City and KDHX in St. Louis).
Here’s some video of the mid-Missouri winner, BJ Allen and Blue Voodoo from Kirksville, although I had these guys dead even with at least three other bands (Wild Cat Daddies, Fried Crawdaddies and Man in the Ring).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpg1C5fvOME&feature=player_embedded
It’s been a little intense so far (only one competition, the one in Springfield, remains before the finals in late August) as there has never been, at least in my memory (hah!), a statewide “battle of the bands,” and if there were, they would’ve been geared toward younger, less experienced, up and coming “hungry” bands, as opposed to the mature professionals who for the most part have made up the bands in each event so far.
We are talking six bands at each event , blistering 20 minute sets by players that, most of them, have been together for years. I don’t envy the jobs of the local judges who volunteered, and although there is no arguing that the winners so far deserved to win, there have been easily at least four bands who deserved to win at each event so far.
So, even though I’ve judged a lot of band contests before, I’m kind of blown away by the precise intensity of the tight, almost harrowing, 20 minutes of music these guys are puttin’ out.
For details on the competitions so far, go to the King of the Roots page at http://www.rootsnbluesnbbq.com/king-of-the-roots/