Ponderosa Stomp @ Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing - night 2 pics (Joe Clay, Carl Mann, Collins Kids, rain, more)

words & photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

The second night of the Ponderosa Stomp‘s invasion of Lincoln Center was a blast. On Friday, July 17th the Stomp and Midsummer Night Swing presented three wholly unique originators of countrified Rock ‘n Roll with Joe Clay, Carl Mann and the Collins Kids. Deke Dickerson and his group the Eccophonics warmed up each of the two sets and served as a precise, passionate and authentic backing band for the evening.

The first set went smoothly with excellent sets from all three artists. Joe Clay bounced around stage and flexed his showmanship, pressing his mic onto the strings of Deke’s guitar and sitting in on the drums in mid-song. In comparison,, Carl Mann was a bit more reserved in stage presence but no less musically engaging in his unique combination of Roy Orbison-like vocal delivery and almost bossa-rockabilly as exemplified in his Sun records hit “Mona Lisa”. The Collins Kids took the stage with an extra bass (played by the Collins’ nephew) and really tore it up. Larry Collins, a double necked guitar prodigy since the age of 7, still maintains a frantic energy swinging his custom Mosrite guitar and equally custom leather tassel and feather get up. His sister Lorrie passionately belted the lyrics in her 1950’s Indian-style western dress.

Halfway through the second set the rain finally came forcing the organizers to close the dance floor. The Collins Kids played their second set to a far-off crowd dancing in the rain while lighting flashed and the smoke machines (inexplicably) filled the stage with haze. But a little weirdness and danger is what this music is really about.

A review with pictures of the first night, HERE. More pictures from the second night below…

A review with pictures of the first night, HERE.

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