Lori Friday of Super 400 performing at the Great Escape Records & Comics. Photo by Pennman 3-13-2010.

On the long and winding road that is home to touring musicians, you never know who you’ll meet or even wind up gigging with. In this case, NY-based power trio Super 400 crossed paths on tour with South Central Kentucky-based Rufus Huff, a mutual appreciation developed, and the result was today’s hastily-arranged appearance of Super 400 at Great Escape. A post-performance informal poll of the onlookers was conducted by Rufus Huff lead guitarist Greg Martin, and the overwhelming response was “hell yeah, we’d like to see them return to Bowling Green for a full-blown show. And the sooner, the better.”

As Super 400 bassist Lori Friday remarked, you never know how a gig will turn out, and this one worked out great. Having never played in a record store and not knowing what to expect, the trio’s consensus was that they really enjoyed themselves working up a sweat, and they felt the love they were given by the crowd. The crowd had a pretty good time too, as it seemed to me many people were pleasantly surprised with the level of talent they were witnessing. The band has a full-length CD out entitled “Sweet Fist” on the Response Records label, so they are signed, sealed, and delivered professionals.

This is a power trio in every sense of the genre. Lead guitarist/lead vocalist Kenny Hohman switches effortlessly between rhythm and lead, providing some biting riffs in between verses. Bassist/vocalist Lori Friday booms with the best of them, both male and female. She is as prominent as a power trio bassist needs to be, interspersing plenty of riffs on bass that shift the attention between Hohman and herself. She also did a few outright solos as well, also a staple of power trio music. Drummer Joe Daley is a dynamo behind it all, and although there were no drum solos today, he was featured a few times in some cool interactions with Friday.

As for the original material, I did hear some of the influences they list on their Facebook (the heavy beats of Led Zeppelin, the vocal and guitar stylings of Cream, the high-pitched lead guitar sound of Blind Faith, and the rawness of Humble Pie), but in every case it was funkier. And the funkiness is what essentially makes their sound simultaneously classic and fresh. It’s freshness that makes people take notice in the competitive world of blues-based rock and roll. Plenty of good bands rock, and do it well, but in a been there, done that way. Super 400’s tunes are catchy, with some nice hooks and intermittent tornadoes of sound that strike without warning, blow you away, and then subside back into a calm that will never be the same. I particularly liked “Needle Down” (the first track of “Sweet Fist”) with its’ Led Zep-style rhythm, “Wave” with its’ flashes of Jack Bruce-style vocals reminiscent of Cream, and the country-tinged “Dreamboat” (just a nice, soft hint of twang).

They also did a couple of covers. One was “Que Sera, Sera” (yes, the Doris Day hit, but obviously heavier) and Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” (another one I never saw coming). In another nice touch, they also did three classic blues songs with Greg Martin, who’s always a crowd pleaser around Bowling Green (and just about everywhere else).

You can look up Super 400 at www.super400.com. They are also on Facebook and MySpace. And be sure to look for their calendar, because sometime in the future I’m sure the locals will make good on their intention to bring them back to Bowling Green. Look for it, and get there. I certainly will be.  

Super 400  performed at Great Escape Records & Comics, Bowling Green, KY on  3/13/2010.

Pennman’s Picks (Upcoming Shows)

Local (Bowling Green)

• Every Sunday @ 6 – KY Blues Jam – Wha Bah’s
• 3/17 – (Happy St. Pat’s) Jonesy – Overtime, Exit 2 – 440 Main, Karaoke – Johnetta’s Pub
• 3/19 – Steely James – Cafe Vioni, Floord/Easy Street – Tidballs, Chuck Wells – Shelley’s Place, Poison Karma – Brewing Company
• 3/20 – 00 the Rabbit/Bookum Snark – Tidballs, Brennan Graves – 440 Main, Chuck Wells – Shelley’s Place, Poison Karma – Woody’s Pub
• 3/26 – Karmadons – Tidball’s, Nine Horse Johnson – Spillway, Thr3e – Shelley’s Place, Last Straw – Winning Colors Sports Bar @ KY Downs
• 3/27 – Thr3e – Shelley’s Place, Nine horse johnson – Spillway, Hungry Ears/Danse Macabre – Tidballs
• 4/1 – Thee Japanese Schoolgirls – Tidballs
• 4/2 – Nightfall – Miss Kitty’s
• 4/3 – Nightfall – Miss Kitty’s
• 4/10 – Thr3e – Winning Colors Sports Bar @ KY Downs
• 4/24 – Stormbringer – Wha Bahs
• 4/30 – Nightfall – You & Me Sports Bar
• 5/1 – Nightfall – You & Me Sports Bar

Road Trips (Nashville)

• Bridgestone Arena (Sommet Center) – Bon Jovi/Dashboard Confessional – 4/21, Hank Williams Jr. – 4/23, Jimmy Buffet – 5/1, James Taylor/Carole King – 5/22, Daughtry – 5/30, Tom Petty/CS&N – 8/12.
• Wildhorse Saloon –George Thorogood – 3/17*, Seven Mary Three/Marcy Playground/Sponge – 4/1*, Bret Michaels – 4/2, Great White – 5/7
• TPAC – Moody Blues – 3/18
• Ryman Auditorium – John Prine – 3/26, Tegan & Sara – 3/31, Train – 4/2, Aretha Franklin – 4/25, Goo Goo Dolls – 5/2, Barenaked Ladies – 5/10, Norah Jones – 5/14
• Freedom Hall (Louisville) – AC/DC – 4/13, Tom Petty/Joe Cocker – 5/12.

 *Recession Buster – Tix available under $25   

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman