by Freya Wilcox
Traditionally, the power of the blues was never founded on its wall of sound or its high-fidelity roar; the power of the blues lies in its pain, its poverty-stricken percussive edge—taken directly from the fingers and throats of those who held little to no power.
It is easy, as somewhat of a "blues snob," to stand by the notion that the magic lies in the soul and not the skill. Sitting in front of Popa Chubby at the Rodeo Bar, however, the room was blown away by the man's (and the band's) ability to encapsulate the power and “voodoo” of the blues while igniting the air with shredded licks and a big sound that can only be described as explosive.
The band's style is difficult to pin down: dropped-tune metal riffs are lightened with bluesy licks and Southern rock is spiced with funk. Chubby's diversity and absolute prowess with his beaten Strat allows him to dance around the audience without even needing to move from his seat.
His fierce playing style was incredibly unique and managed to captivate an audience who I assume were not guitar aficionados. Chubby plays as only a seasoned musician can, while still (at least appearing to be) enjoying himself as much as if it were his first show at a friend's house party.
Credit must also be given to his dynamic and highly skilled band: the combination of deep grooves on the bass, swift cries from the organ, and incredibly hard and fast punk(ish) drums, formed a phenomenal backline for the rock 'n' roll maestro, giving every inch of themselves to the set.
Between songs, Popa Chubby's bellowing laugh and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor had the audience eating from the palm of his hand, but the lighthearted banter was left behind in a cloud of dust as the band swung into another howling track. But despite the solo-heavy set, the music never crossed into "overdone" territory and the licks were not in danger of becoming redundant. There was no need to worry that you would be wasting your night listening to hours of regurgitated Stevie Ray Vaughan.
These guys legitimately have a little something for everyone. Whether you're a blues man, a Hendrix fan, a metal head, a rock 'n' roll lover, or if you just want to feel some soul—you will not be able to deny Chubby's chops.