Article & Photos: Jim Summaria
L to R -- Chris Tapp, Bryce Klueh, Brian Mullins
The Cold Stares at Hey Nonny
Live Show Review & Photos
by Jim Summaria
Hey Nonny in Arlington Hts. recently held their Annual Winter Blues Week (Feb. 4-8) and owner Chip Brooks couldn't have picked a better band to open the week - the Cold Stares. They are originally from Madisonville, Kentucky -- where they started out as a duo of longtime friends -- guitarist/ vocalist Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins. They now reside in Evansville, IN. Tapp is the songwriter of the group, and his lyrics draw from stories his grandfather told him and from his own life experiences.
After recording and touring for ten years as a duo they added bassist Bryce Klueh in 2022 to form a blues-rock power trio. Adding a bass player made for a fuller sound and added more creativity in their jamming. Their music is original but the Cold Stares’ influences are immediately apparent: southern rock, Led Zeppelin, Z.Z. Top, Robin Trower, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Jack White and a dash of the bands Free and Bad Company led by singer Paul Rodgers. The band is also deeply influenced by the Delta Blues.
Since 2014, the band has released seven LPs and six EPs. Their first album, A Cold Wet Night and a Howling Wind, hit number one on Amazon Music's Blues Rock albums chart. And their two latest albums have created quite a few accolades. Their first album with Klueh was Voices and was picked by Classic Rock Magazine as one of the best albums of 2023. The follow-up album, Southern, has received many accolades. They have an album coming out in the fall and are already working on another.
At Hey Nonny, The Cold Stares played two sets, each containing ten original songs. Six of the songs will land on their albums in the future; the rest of the songs are from their past discography. The trio kicked off their show with "Nothing But the Blues," from their aforementioned Voices album. The powerful original was highlighted by a very tight groove laid down by Klueh and Mullins and a Cream-era Eric Clapton style lead played by Tapp, whose soulful vocal added the right touch to the song. His lyrics revealed the depth of his blues. Lines like "My mama left when I was six years old," "My father said son, you're on your own," "You know they kicked me out of my high school," and "Lost all my money trying to shoot some pool." This opener got the crowd's attention.
They led right into a new song, “Little More Rope," with a definite Billy Gibbons/Z.Z. Top style intro. "I Was A Fool" (off their 2019 album Ways) had a Jimi Hendrix/Stevie Ray Vaughan feel.
Although these influences could be heard, the Cold Stares turned each song into their own composition. "In the Night Time," from the 2012 Heavy Shoes album, had a smooth, easy going beat while “Queen of Hearts” – a song not yet recorded – had a Robin Trower style blues quality.
Tapp pulled out his resonator dobro guitar for the next two songs: "61 Blues" (from a 2015 EP) and "Level Floor Blues" from the 2024 Southern album. His playing and singing would make any of the Delta Blues originators proud. A heavily influenced Led Zeppelin bass and drums was at the forefront of another song from their Heavy Shoes album - "Prosecution Blues." Tapp added a unique solo and growling vocal. The same can be said for "Anyway the Wind Blows" from the Ways album. Closing out the first set was another song from Southern, "Looking For A Fight," which was a pure delight of southern rock boogie.
After a brief break, the Cold Stares were back playing to the standing room only audience at Hey Nonny. They started off with two new songs "Possession" and "Evil Eye." "Evil Eye" had a touch of the Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac song "Oh, Well." A true southern rock anthem also from the Southern album, "No Love in the City Anymore," had Tapp playing an incredible solo. Once again his vocals seem to come from somewhere down in Macon, Georgia.
A new Z.Z. Top style boogie called "Automobile" had people groovin' and boppin' in their chairs. The Southern album was highlighted once again with one of my favorite songs of the night, "Horse to Water." A hint of Bad Company was heard in this traditional southern blues rock song, but with a fresh take. The rhythm section pushed the tune and Tapp once again played a gritty guitar with an emotional vocal.
"Got No Right" (did I hear a reference to Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" in the rhythm?) from Voices was a fun loving rocker. A nice but short lead by Tapp left me wanting a longer jam on this one. The heavy rock sounding "Into Black" from the Ways album was a kick butt song. Drummer Mullins really rocked out on this one by pounding the skins while Klueh thumped his bass.
The other song that knocked me out was "Confession," another tune from Southern. With a Stevie Ray Vaughan rhythm, the song hit on all cylinders; it rocked and grew with intensity; and then following a brief drum solo, the band segued into a beautiful instrumental. Leaning into his love for Robin Trower’s guitar prowess, Tapp tore into his most impressive guitar solo of the night.
With time running short, the Cold Stares wrapped up their set by reaching back to their 2018 album Mountain and the song “Two Keys and a Good Book.” Then came the encore. The band chose “John,” one of their earliest compositions, which started out like a traditional Delta-style blues and then stormed into a heavy blues for modern times.
The Cold Stares is a young, but veteran, group of exceptional blue collar musicians who have learned their classic rock, traditional blues and southern blues rock lessons well. But these are just touchstones that serve to create their own musical identity. Tapp is a terrific songwriter who plays his guitar and sings with passion. His band mates Mullins and Klueh are the perfect rhythm section. I think this may one of the last times you see this band in a cozy venue like Hey Nonny. Larger places are on the horizon. This band needs to be seen and heard.
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About The Author: Jim Summaria began professionally photographing rock concerts in 1973 at the age of 19 when he became the staff photographer for the Chicago rock concert promoter Flip Side Productions. Jim's photos have been published in numerous books, magazines and CDs. His rock ‘n’ roll photos have been viewed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame on Rt.66 and the Grammy Awards. Jim and writer Mark Plotnick co-authored the books Classic Rock: Photographs From Yesterday & Today and the October 2024 release ‘70s Chicagoland Rock Concerts.
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