Call it nostalgia. Call it tradition. Call it whatever you want. I call it pure madness. Lines to get into the venue wrapped around the side of the building and down Delmar as the Halo Bar, which allows early entry into the venue, was already at capacity before 6:00 P.M.
The Urge sold out another Thanksgiving season show, holding steady with their tradition going back many years. The crowd got hectic as though it was their first time seeing the insanity happen live.
Energetic hardly describes the performances by openers, Orangetree and The Funky Butt Brass Band. The whole night was filled with the power of a thousand bombs and ran as seamlessly as a well oiled machine.
Donny Fandango of 105.7 The Point, a die hard and loyal fan of The Urge, introduced the band with a heartfelt and warm tribute to radio legend, Jeff Burton. Burton, a decades-long on air talent with The Point, passed away in August after a hard fought battle against cancer.
The Urge blazed onto the stage wasting no time melting the faces of the crowd jumping around, emulating the band’s signature style of getting some major air.
Steve Ewing, the band’s original lead singer, proved once again that he is a man of many talents as he took a break from managing the popular hot dog eateries that he owns to snap into straight kinetic rage. The whole band followed suit through the last second of the last song.
As we await the next live Urge show, you can catch a taste of Orangetree December 16th at The Conservatory in Alton, Illinois and Funky Butt Brass Band’s Holiday Brasstravaganza at Delmar Hall on December 16th and 17th; two shows you don’t want to miss.