Usually Windy City Opry shows start early and consequently end early, and I’m lucky to catch even one song from the featured band performed, always coming from my radio show on CKXU that ends at 10 p.m. This time, I was especially pleased The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra were in a jamming sort of mood and extended their show at the Slice, June 13.
I haven’t seen them for years, but know they are always a good time as good sized, enthusiastically dancing crowd attested to. They sounded like a more eastern European influenced Old Crow Medicine Show with a touch of the Gipsy Kings, featuring plenty of French cabaret accordion and a whole lot of finger bleeding fiddle playing.
Guitarist/ vocalist Kurt Loewen was lost in the shadows of the stage, emerging to sing a couple songs, but left most of the vocals to accordion player Ian Griffiths and fiddle player Mack Shields.
Immediately recognizable were “Maria ” and apt set ending, foot stomper “Ciao Bella (Ciao, Baby Ciao.)”
They were called back for an encore of “End Of Days,” though I wasn’t sure if they would return for an encore after using up all of the notes on “Ciao Bella.”
The next Windy City Opry features Sean Burns at the Slice on July 11.
