Downtown Cafe in El Cajon was ablaze on Saturday night with The Jerry “Hot Rod” DeMink Band. His guitar might not have flames on it but those strings were smoking hot for the entire show. And I’m not talking about smashing chords, his nimble fingers know all 120 notes that makes a guitar sing and his velocity is nothing less than impetuously fast.
Downtown Cafe in El Cajon was ablaze on Saturday night with The Jerry “Hot Rod” DeMink Band. His guitar might not have flames on it but those strings were smoking hot for the entire show. And I’m not talking about smashing chords, his nimble fingers know all 120 notes that makes a guitar sing and his velocity is nothing less than impetuously fast.
His rock n roll, bluesy, rockabilly tones infuse each song with a quality of its own, which is not only entertaining, but refreshing. And his ability to capture his audience comes with his guitar playing extraordinaire, a humor that just will not give up and his masterful way of taking great classics and turning them into a show.
Playing with drummer Danny Wasson and bass player Andy Baugh, the trio had the crowd begging for more after nearly three hours of non-stop pure entertainment.
Beginning the show with some great classics like Elvis’ “That’s Alright Mama” and Jerry Reeds’ “Guitar Man” (a favorite of the night) the show was more than just great tunes, it had amazing musicianship. Each song, crossing genres had incredible instrumentals placed perfectly within the songs that enhanced even the good oldies to a new level.
Favorites of the night, some recorded on the live album were “Who Stole the Hot Sauce,” “Swing in ‘A’” and of course “Blue Suede Shoes.” But best of all was an electrified version of “Ring of Fire” that sent the song to a new level with the sonic speed guitar playing that accompanied it. It was an incredible performance and in no way took anything away from the original Johnny Cash by channeling some Jimi Hendrix in there. And that is not something I say lightly.
The band played nearly non-stop with a high energy that was contagious. With a plethora of great songs in his repertoire, if you get a chance to see DeMink in his natural habitat, take the time to study and pay attention. To check the band out, buy the live album, see where they are playing next or follow them on social media go to www.hotroddemink.com.
