Photos and Review by Max Stewart

Nothing says the holidays like reuniting for some stellar tunes while supporting a worthy cause. ‘Kevin Scott’s Funky Holiday Spectacular‘ show at Atlanta‘s Variety Playhouse raised $15,000 for the Georgia Music Foundation (supporting programs of music education, preservation and outreach while fostering an appreciation for the state’s rich music heritage) and Backline (connects music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources). Now that’s the holiday spirit.

Kevin Scott was the ringleader of the evening and orchestrater of the 2024 event, after a successful event in 2022. Scott is an elite bassist who has played with John McLaughlin, ATL royalty Col. Bruce Hampton, Jimmy Herring and he is now playing with Gov’t Mule. The night began with Atlanta’s own Matthew Wilson (who was vital for the success of the event) saying a few words about the charities that were supported and kicking things off.

The beauty of this show is, yes, it is around the holidays and generally is focused on Christmas tunes. But that is not the only theme, as it truly revolves around fantastic musical collaboration and fellowship of artists from Atlanta and beyond. But the holiday classics that were performed were unique and not your run-of-the-mill, FM holiday hits.

The event featured a steady stream of musical talent, playing tunes Sabbath to James Brown. It was an unreal night. The cast of characters included Kevn Kinney (Drivin N Cryin), Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks (Blackberry Smoke), Mark Letieri (Snarky Puppy, The Fearless Flyers), Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Will Montgomery, Emil Werstler, Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Grant Green Jr., Mark Raudabaugh (Sierra Hull, Donna the Buffalo), Matt Slocum (Warren Haynes Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Railroad Earth), Rhett Huffman (American Aquarium), Jordon Shallop, Eddie 9V, Dan Wytanis (Ghost Note), Mark Rivers (Tedeschi Trucks Band), Brenda Moore, Amanda Joy, Rob Lane, Tiffany White, Ruby Velle, and Ben Holst.

There were almost too many highlights to mention, but a few are below as well as some photos from the event. We hope this is a holiday tradition for many years to come!

• Unique Takes on Classic Holiday Tunes:
  • Ruby Velle doing “Funky Little Drummer Boy” in the style of Sharon Jones’ version
  • Brenda Moore’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” based off Galactic’s verion
  • Amanda Joy covering Stevie Wonder’s “What Christmas Means to Me”
  • Mark Rivers’ fantastically soulful version of “The Christmas Song”
  • Jennifer Hartswick & Mark Rivers’ superb version of the Donny Hathaway classic, “This Christmas”
• Guitar Sorcery:
  • There were no shortage of guitar wizards on the stage including Mark Lettieri, Eddie 9V, Emil Werstler, Charlie Starr, and Benji Shanks.
    • Mark Lettieri’s ambient yet shreddtastic version of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was particularly awe-inspiring
• Drivin N Cryin’s Kevn Kinney Reminding Us of His Humble Genius:
  • Kinney performed “Straight to Hell” and “Let’s Go Dancing” showing us that he is in fact a gem to the world and godfather of Atlanta’s “alternative rock” scene since the 80s
• Superb Soul:
  • Brenda Moorer’s silky smooth version of “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker
  • Grant Green Jr.’s excellent original “Ball of Confusion”, that was recorded alongside Kevin Scott
  • Amanda Joy’s seminal “What’s Love Got to Do With It” got the packed crowd singing
  • Jennifer Hartswick’s phenomenal version of “In the Air Tonight” rounded out the first set
• The Mighty Ryhthm Section
  • Interchanging from funk to rock and all things in between, drummers including Duane Trucks and Mark Raudabaugh stayed in the groove no matter what tempo or genre, with bassist Kevin Scott keeping the ship sailing on
• All Hands on Deck for Some Face Melting to Close the Second Set
  • Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, the king of modern Southern rock and Atlanta native, led four riff heavy tunes to end the second set, including “Children of the Grave” (Black Sabbath), “On the Hunt” (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “Evil” (Cactus), and rounding it out with the classic “Your Time is Gonna Come” (Led Zeppelin).
  • Benji Shanks of Blackberry Smoke and Brann Dailor of Mastodon were on hand alongside Duane Trucks and Scott for all things rock