Last Friday night after I got off work, my life buddy DMan and I took off for an adventure like a couple of college kids for whom the evening doesn't kick in gear until after 9 o'clock. We scarfed down a couple of McChickens, I sipped on a flask of Deadbolt wine DMan had thoughtfully prepared so I could put my work-night-from-hell behind me (and yes, he was driving), and we cruised to Monett in search of a bar called Bumpers and live music by Black Moods. A friend/relative of DMan's had heard the group play and thought we would really dig their sound. Oh yeah, we dug them!
Even though we weren't familiar with many of the tunes, there was no denying their exceptional musicianship and infectious head-banging groove. Lead guitarist and singer, Joshua Kennedy, has the perfect gritty rock and roll voice to complement his raw-sex guitar riffs. Ryan Prier, on bass and harmony vocals, played smooth as Southern Comfort but gave the band a much bigger and fuller sound than you would expect out of a three-piece. And drummer Danny "Chico" Diaz put on quite the explosive show and charmed the ladies to boot. Even though the band bio says they are from Tempe, AZ, Joshua has roots around Monett and brought his dad up to lead the vocals on "Green River" (CCR) and "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East) and even sit in on drums for a number. Dad was pretty darn good, too, and it was a kick to see them smiling and singing their hearts out together.
Bumpers was nothing spectacular, as bars go, with a few pool tables inside (hence the name Bumpers?) and several picnic tables outside, but there was plenty of room for a dance floor outside where the band played. The crowd really got rocking on the classic rock tunes, with everyone from 21 (I'm guessing they were legal, but some sure didn't look like it!) to 60-plus dancing and singing along. DMan and I were getting our groove on to "Call Me The Breeze" (Lynyrd Skynyrd, of course, my fave band!) until some drunk gal next to us lost control of her beer bottle and it went kerpow on the concrete too near my bare feet.
Speaking of bare feet, one of the best things about the evening was the volleyball sand pit adjacent to where the band played. When a bunch of goat roper dudes kept standing up in front of us and we couldn't see the band, DMan and I and his friends parked ourselves in lawn chairs in the pit. It was sheer heaven for this beach lover to be sipping a Corona and listening to good music with my bare feet settled into the cool sand. Also one of the worst things about the evening was the sand pit, because DMan and I came home with our legs bitten up by sand fleas! I looked like I had the pox from the knees down. How much worse it must have been for the two boozie babes -- in dresses, no less -- who were trying out their stripper moves on the volleyball pole and ending up on their behinds in the flea-infested sand! I bet they woke up the next morning itching in places they didn't expect!
We didn't get to bed until nearly 2 a.m. and I was feeling a bit rough the next day at work, but the Black Moods put me in a good enough mood to get through anything. Don't think we'll be trekking for an hour again to hang out at Bumpers, but we'll definitely be catching the Black Moods any time we can!
Even though we weren't familiar with many of the tunes, there was no denying their exceptional musicianship and infectious head-banging groove. Lead guitarist and singer, Joshua Kennedy, has the perfect gritty rock and roll voice to complement his raw-sex guitar riffs. Ryan Prier, on bass and harmony vocals, played smooth as Southern Comfort but gave the band a much bigger and fuller sound than you would expect out of a three-piece. And drummer Danny "Chico" Diaz put on quite the explosive show and charmed the ladies to boot. Even though the band bio says they are from Tempe, AZ, Joshua has roots around Monett and brought his dad up to lead the vocals on "Green River" (CCR) and "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East) and even sit in on drums for a number. Dad was pretty darn good, too, and it was a kick to see them smiling and singing their hearts out together.
Bumpers was nothing spectacular, as bars go, with a few pool tables inside (hence the name Bumpers?) and several picnic tables outside, but there was plenty of room for a dance floor outside where the band played. The crowd really got rocking on the classic rock tunes, with everyone from 21 (I'm guessing they were legal, but some sure didn't look like it!) to 60-plus dancing and singing along. DMan and I were getting our groove on to "Call Me The Breeze" (Lynyrd Skynyrd, of course, my fave band!) until some drunk gal next to us lost control of her beer bottle and it went kerpow on the concrete too near my bare feet.
Speaking of bare feet, one of the best things about the evening was the volleyball sand pit adjacent to where the band played. When a bunch of goat roper dudes kept standing up in front of us and we couldn't see the band, DMan and I and his friends parked ourselves in lawn chairs in the pit. It was sheer heaven for this beach lover to be sipping a Corona and listening to good music with my bare feet settled into the cool sand. Also one of the worst things about the evening was the sand pit, because DMan and I came home with our legs bitten up by sand fleas! I looked like I had the pox from the knees down. How much worse it must have been for the two boozie babes -- in dresses, no less -- who were trying out their stripper moves on the volleyball pole and ending up on their behinds in the flea-infested sand! I bet they woke up the next morning itching in places they didn't expect!
We didn't get to bed until nearly 2 a.m. and I was feeling a bit rough the next day at work, but the Black Moods put me in a good enough mood to get through anything. Don't think we'll be trekking for an hour again to hang out at Bumpers, but we'll definitely be catching the Black Moods any time we can!
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