GA-20/BLACK JOE LEWIS – LIVE – SPACE BALLROOM
On December 5th, the Space Ballroom hosted Boston’s premier three piece blues act, GA-20 with Black Joe Lewis for direct support. The evening was crisp and so was the music. GA-20 is a dynamic trio consisting of Matt Stubbs (Guitar), Pat Faherty (Guitar/Vocals) with Tim Carman (Drums). The band is spearheading a blues revival by creating music that is both traditional and uniquely modern. Stubbs is a 14 year veteran of legendary blues master Charlie Musselwhite’s touring band. After meeting Faherty, the two started performing because of their love of the traditional blues genre. Carman rounds out their propulsive lineup.
The night started out with the ferocious guitarist, Black Joe Lewis. The man is a brazen musician whose music straddles between blues and funky jam intonations. Based out of Austin, Texas, Lewis began his career with his larger ensemble, The Honeybears, whose last album was The Difference Between Me & You (2018). Lewis has opened for such illustrious artists such as Spoon and has performed at a multitude of music festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Bonnaroo.
Lewis entered the stage with little fanfare. With his fellow musicians, Rene Lopez (Drums) and Bill Stevenson ((Bass), Lewis stepped out and just began playing. Within a few minutes, the audience was in awe. His virtuosity was self evident. His precision guitar delivered tension filled riffs that were imposing. In addition, his solos were impressively spicy. Lewis’ vocals were just as voracious. You could feel the intensity in his voice as well as in his mammoth musicianship.
The trio totally riffed off of each other. With Lewis taking the lead, the music soared with soulful blues married to edgy soundscapes. I’m not sure there was a setlist even though songs like “Bitch I Love You” and “Booty City” were easily recognizable. As their set wore on, the room got more into it. Several listeners were dancing and feeling Lewis’ awesome vibes. Lopez on percussions was a monster while Stevenson’s bass demanded attention. On a whole, Black Joe Lewis was the perfect opener for GA-20.
GA-20 is plainly exhilarating. The music they put out is both bold and dramatic in nature. Also, they are such good musicians that it almost seems effortless. Their last full length is Crackdown which was released in 2022. A good amount of the night’s selections emanated from Crackdown. In 2021, GA-20 put out Try It… You Might Like It! GA-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor, a homage to invincible Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist.
Opening with “No No”, GA-20 set the tone for the entire show. It’s a fun tune with a rousing rhythm and bouncy vocals. Faherty’s timbre was superb. His inflections were punchy with a singular feel. The room was already excited. “Just Because” off of Crackdown came next. The guitars were emotive and again Faherty’s voice cracked with a cinematic aura. Carman’s percussions solidified the groove.
Two more Crackdown songs ensued. “Double Gettin” and “Dry Rub” with its western twang had the audience feeling no pain. GA-20 was starting to heat up. A couple of Hound Dog Taylor compositions followed. “Give Me My Wig” and “She’s Gone” sat well with the house. “I Don’t Mind”, a James Brown cover, was next. Afterwards, GA-20 powered through the bluesy “I Let Someone In” and the killer “Fairweather Friend” to the audience’s delight.
The evening was full of voracious riffs and stupendous solos. The trio was spot on and super tight. Stubbs and Faherty were simply marvelous with their interplay and guitar prowess. Each musician complementing the other to the tee. Closing out the set with three tenacious songs. “Sitting at Home Alone”, another Hound Dog Taylor song was executed perfectly. The banger “By My Lonesome” led into the last tune, “Easy on the Eyes” which was truly a fan favorite with its exotic bluesy cadence.
GA-20 is on a roll. They will surely be taking over the world very soon. If you ever get the chance to catch them, don’t walk…run. This is the real deal.
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