Kurt Allen

Kurt Allen plays Christine's Firehouse on Saturday, November 14, at 7 PM. He's a Kansas City artist who's earned a Blues award nomination, and he fronts the Kurt Allen Band, a high-energy funky blues-rock power trio that's been touring the US for more than a decade. The band pulls from blues, funk, soul, jazz, and rock, and critics have compared his vocals to Joe Bonamassa, though they describe his as having a grittier edge.

Their discography gives you a good sense of where they've been. Live from The Red Shed came out in 2022, and Whiskey, Women & Trouble followed in 2020—that one was named Roots Music Reports' #44 Blues Rock Album of 2020. Before those, there was Titanium Blue back in 2014. One track, "Graveyard Blues," was nominated for Blues Rock song of the year in 2021, so that's one of the songs you're likely to hear.

For this particular show, they're billing it as "Bayou Swamp Funk Blues," which they describe as greezy and gritty with groove for days. It's a good way to set expectations: less of a polished studio sound and more of a raw, swampy vibe. If you're into blues that leans hard into the funk side of things, that's exactly where this sits.

It's a local show in North Kansas City, and since the band has been on the road for over ten years, it's one of those nights where they're playing close to home. The set starts at 7 PM on Saturday, November 14, at Christine's Firehouse.