Located on the Northern edge of Rockbridge County, Smiley’s Sports Bar serves as a shining example of the community’s passion for live music and robust American cuisine. It was Wednesday evening, February 7, I had the pleasure of experiencing for the first time an eclectic and mesmerizing performance by the duo known as Wild Card, featuring Jason Burke and Bobbi Folk.
I was anticipating a night of fantastic music, and not only did I experience that from the get-go, but also a great song new to me: “Barton Hollow.” Live music performances offer so much: they can introduce new music, bring new dimensions to favorite songs and most of all they have the power to transform and elevate music in ways recordings simply cannot. Big thanks to Wild Card for introducing me to a new song and artist, and for their kick ass performance of “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars!
Another thing that struck me early on about Wild Card’s performance was their infectious enthusiasm for the music they were sharing. Covering a wide array of artists, from Dolly Parton to Chris Cornell, each song was a journey through genres and emotions. Bobbi’s powerful rendition of “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” paid homage to Dolly Parton’s genius, showcasing her ability to capture the essence of the songs while making them distinctly her own. Her versatility shone brightly as she led one of my favorite ever versions of “Killing Me Softly,” that channeled the soul of Aretha Franklin and the intensity of Audioslave with ease.
Jason seamlessly complemented Bobbi’s lead with his harmonies, his pedals looping and layering, not to mention awesome guitar solos. This was especially evident in their rendition of Audioslave’s 2003 hit “Like a Stone,” where he took the reins of an entire band, while Bobbi took the equally hard task and nailed the song, giving homage to legend Chris Cornell.
Jason took the lead on many songs including two of my favorites: capturing the classic rock energy of Chuck Berry in “Johnny B. Goode” as well as the intricate guitar and vocals of “Aeroplane” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
