Article & Photos by: Linda Carlson
Jeffersonville, IN – Nestled in southern Indiana just across the Ohio River from Louisville, situated in quaint Jeffersonville, is Maxwell’s House of Music. Dedicated to all things music, this establishment (12,000+ square feet large), boasts fourteen education studios, two performance halls, and a showroom of equipment to accommodate all levels of musicians, from aspiring to accomplished.
On this night, Maxwell’s hosted Blacktop Mojo, who are promoting their latest album (Blacktop Mojo, released 2021), bringing their “southern rock meets hard rock” to a capacity crowd. Blacktop Mojo hits large cities and small towns alike, sharing their music with seemingly boundless energy, all the while simultaneously building their fan base from all walks of life.
Typical of a Blacktop Mojo show, Matt James (lead vocals), Nathan Gillis (drums), Matt Curtis (“Catt,” bass), Chuck Wepfer (guitar) and Malcolm Booher (guitar) brought their A-game.
The band played a well-rounded set that featured a solid slate of their original music (such as “Burn the Ships,” “Where The Wind Blows,” “Wicked Woman,” “Tail Lights”). James’ signature vocals set the tone while his bandmates provided layered guitar riffs and pounding beats. A shout out to Wepfer for delivering some commanding spotlight solos.
Blacktop Mojo’s stage presence is dynamic, but they slowed it down during their encore, with James and Curtis first delivering a well-received acoustic Phil Collins cover before being rejoined by the rest of the band.
Blacktop Mojo is a band on the move, literally and figuratively. I have been to several of their shows and they have never disappointed. I drove two hours to catch this performance, and it was hands-down worth the drive. If you are a fan of down-and-dirty, gritty-yet-soulful, live rock ‘n roll, I highly recommend catching a show near you. You will be glad you did.
Blacktop Mojo recently announced that they will be touring with Buckcherry in May. Check their latest concert schedule at www.blacktopmojo.com/pages/tour.