Chickenhoof

Chicken hoof [Slang] n. — “barbecued chicken wing.” According to Mark Southerland, award-winning Kansas City saxophonist, the term also denotes the best reason to get down this New Year’s Eve. Nine years ago, on September 9, 1999 (9/9/99), Chickenhoof played its first gig, at Mike’s Tavern. Southerland describes the date as “a certain aligning of numbers that brought us all together to play funk.” Fleshed out by Scott Easterday on vocals and keys, Chad Meise on guitar and vocals, Nate Gawron on bass and Mike Dolumbo on drums (all members of better-known bands, including the Wilders, Expassionates and the Misery Boys), the hardy Hoof clucked around on local stages for only a few years. Back together for one night only, the band brings long-play funk in the tradition of James Brown and promises to give it to you 10 times, then nine times, then eight times, and so on, at the stroke of midnight. Following Chickenhoof, the Hearts of Darkness roll out the afrobeat in awesome, sweaty fashion, until the bar closes and it’s time to go home and think about 2009 — and possibly puke up 2008.