Photo by Kristine Condon

Gary Clark Jr.
The Riviera
Chicago
April 1


Elbow-to-elbow in a dark nightclub-turned-theatre on Chicago’s North Side, an eclectic crowd gathered to witness first-hand the blazing guitar prowess and smooth vocals of the artist that Buddy Guy dubbed the “future of blues.” Just over three years after releasing his first full-length album, Gary Clark Jr. arrived in the Windy City on a quest to introduce fans to The Story of Sonny Boy Slim—his latest chart-topping studio effort, named as a nod to a childhood nickname, his Southern roots and a fictitious young guitar-prodigy Clark played in John Sayles’ 2007 film, Honeydripper.

With his face partially obstructed by his black, wide-brimmed hat, Clark launched into snarling, blues-rock favorite “Bright Lights, Big City” as the sold-out crowd disappeared into the haze of the ominous, deep-blue stage lights. Perhaps in an effort to ease fans into his most recent, and arguably most personal musical evolution, Clark lead with several tunes from 2012’s Blak and Blu, including the upbeat, full-bodied and confident “Ain’t Messin ‘Round” and the powerful and slightly dark “When My Train Pulls In,” which showcased the depth and versatility of both Clark’s silky voice and complex guitar chops.

The first track that Clark introduced from the new album was “Hold On,” a heavy tune that used a calculated mix of soul, R&B and hip-hop to relate the struggle of growing up African-American that’s not for the faint of heart. Clark kept it slow, shuffling from solemn to sexy with “Our Love,” a sultry song that showcased not only the range of Clark’s versatile voice, but also highlighted his uber-talented band: bass player Johnny Bradley, rhythm guitarist Eric “King” Zapata and drummer Johnny Radelat.

Standouts from the new album included “Grinder,” a fierce rock ballad that craftily juxtaposed Clark’s sharp and steady storytelling with the artfully unrestrained whaling of his guitar. The light-hearted, genre-bending “Shake” got the crowd to stomp its feet, while “The Healing” used a combination of old-school beats and new-school blues to inspire hope about the music that sets him free. Interlaced into the new tunes were Clark classics, like the fast-paced and punching “I Don’t Owe You a Thing” and the decade-transcending and lighter “Please Come Home.”

The three-song encore masterfully showcased three leading tunes from The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, starting with “Church.” The surprisingly bare-bones gospel-folk arrangement featured a simple and calming strum, a sad harmonica, and a sweet, pleading prayer, with the band providing background vocals where the album features Clark’s sisters. The group effortlessly transitioned to the cool and confident “Down to Ride” before ending with “Stay,” a pivotal portion of the new album that plays out like the triumphant end to a twisted love story—especially when presented as the final piece of a well-crafted and successful intro to Sonny Boy Slim. Heather Farr