Los Angeles, California: The Fabulous Thunderbirds may have celebrated their 50th anniversary last year, but the concert footage that makes up Live In Houston - shot in 2006, shortly after they marked their 40th - is proof that sometimes, time is meaningless.
It was indeed way back in 1974 that vocalist/harmonica player Kim Wilson and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan ((brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan) formed the Fabulous Thunderbirds,.
They focussed on the blues in those days, but swiftly broadened their outlook, embracing - cajun, soul, Americana, rock and more. And, in so doing, the Fabulous Thunderbirds long ago established themselves among the most visionary bands around, and one of the most exciting, too.
The line-up has shifted a lot throughout the intervening years, with Wilson the only constant. But the Thunderbirds’ approach remains as potent as ever, a status confirmed by the battery of awards Wilson has won over the years - including, also in 2006, the Contemporary Male Blues Artist award at the annual Blues Music Awards.
Wilson summed up his approach in a 2019 interview with BluesBlast.com. “What I love about Chicago blues, and the records from labels like Duke and Peacock, is how dark most of them were. I’m not here to be telling jokes. I want the mood to be dark. Of course, depending on how you play it, the music can have a sense of humor. But what always attracted me to the music is that it was fucking heavy!
Live in Houston is certainly that. Reissuing what is already regarded as one of the key Thunderbirds live documents, with famed blues guitarist Kirk Fletcher laying down his signature leads, it’s an energetic romp through some of the Fabulous Thunderbirds' most crucial cuts, rendered even more powerful by the painstaking up-rezzing in preparation for the performance’s first ever appearance in the Blu Ray format.
The result is breathtaking, capturing Kim and co in all their glory as they rip through a smoking' live set - and one that includes their biggest hits, as well.
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