Kenny Howes and the Yeah!

Daemon Records Saturday Matinee Show

The Point, Atlanta GA • February 27th, 1999

James Mann

“kenny_howes1”

A good time was had by all at the Point for the latest installment of the Daemon Records all-ages matinee show. Amy Ray and her cohorts at Daemon have been inviting local talent to perform cheap (3 bands for a buck), and have been getting a good response. This show, featuring Howes, Rock Candi, and the Stimulants, was well-attended, and a good alternative to sloshing around Little 5 Points in the rain.

“kenny_howes2”

Kenny Howes has transplanted himself to Atlanta and formed a band, the Yeah! to play his brand of over-the-top pop, and Atlanta has taken to him fondly. The show Saturday featured material from his latest release, Back to You Today , on AAJ Records (1350 Mahan Drive, #E-4, Ste. 203, Tallahassee, FL 32308, http://aaj.nu), along with older cuts like “Girls with Glasses,” from his second album, and a cover of a Left Banke tune (the title of which I didn’t catch). On record, Howes plays all instruments save the drums, and he really is a state of the art pop talent, able to pen catchy, dynamic little symphonies as well as letter-perfect Dylan rips (“Something Really Great”) or fab-four love fests such as “Exactly Like You.” Live, he has formed a cracker-jack band that unfortunately plays at a volume level more suited to a jet landing that detracts from whatever impact his well crafted tunes could have. In a club like the Point (a square room with little sound deflection) it almost leads to a headache, but it also could be due to the fact I was sitting 15 feet in front of Kenny’s Vox amp. Hmm. At 33 cents a band, a Saturday afternoon at the Point is a steal. See some good music, and still get to bed by ten. ◼