The Martini Bar Review

A performance review by Timothy J. Fancher, Friday, 7/1/05

One moment you are looking at a charming, gorgeous, raven haired young woman at the bar, the next you see the transformation into the very essence of Kansas City blues. As Danielle Nicole steps onto the stage and belts out the first lick of her mature, powerhouse vocals, the new fans know they have found something special. Those that have previously seen Trampled Under Foot (TUF) just smile in a knowing way.

As Danielle immerses herself deeper into her set and the shoes come off, the sweat starts to drip and the fans become lost in her voice, she transforms into the old soul her voice suggests. During Lord Have Mercy, there was a gospel infused edge to her vocals, that along with Nick's riffs on his guitar; I felt a spiritual connection to her and all the members of TUF. To see her hair hanging in her face, a cigarette dangling from her lips as she captivates us with her bass playing, hips moving to the music, and simply owning the crowd at such a relatively young age, is something that simply must be seen to not just appreciate, but understand. As people like comparisons, I knew I should try to give some idea of Danielle's voice in this review. After pondering for two days on how to capture the magic, the depth, the pain and the love that flows from her and through her fans, the closest I can come is try to imagine if Susan Tedeschi and Janis Joplin's voice were merged as one, that is an idea of the power of Danielle's voice.

This was both TUF’s debut performance at Columbia, Missouri's fabulous "Martini Bar", and also my first time seeing the band; without question this was one of the most amazing live shows I have ever seen. The original members of the band are all siblings and are offspring of their influential, blues playing parents out of Kansas City, MO. Kris Schnebelen on drums, and Nick Schnebelen on vocals and guitar have a quiet confidence about them that shines through in their precision on their instruments and the passion in which they play. The newest member of the band, Liam Goodrick also has an amazing voice and is extraordinary on keyboard and has great banter with the crowd at times between sets. The band's sound is crisp and clean, yet guttural and raw, the sounds of the instruments never muddle with one another, rather there is such an incredible quality in the clarity and layering of sounds; this ladies and gentlemen is a true blues band.

It is a rare treat to get to see a band of this caliber in intimate settings and know that you are part of the early stages of musical careers that will influence future generations of blues players. As each member of the band took the mic and belted out one amazing song after another, the crowd rarely spoke and just listened, and the rest hit the dance floor. I could probably write five more pages of praise for this band, but still would be unable to convey the feeling of seeing them live. In closing, I will simply say whether you are a blues fan or not, if you love music, if you want to experience a night you will speak of for years to come, you must see TUF play live, and see, feel, and hear for yourself all that I have spoken of. Don't forget to buy their CD and get the chance to meet all of these amazing musicians and experience the absolute charm of Danielle as well!