Live Music: Quincy and Steve Reynolds

Sunday, January 18, 2004, at 10:50AM

By Eric Richardson

Last night I finally rid myself of a month long absense from live music, heading out to the Hotel Cafe in order to see Steve Reynolds. I don't know if it's just that I'm starting to go on heavier nights, but each time I go to the Hotel it seems like its more and more crowded. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing -- the Hotel's an amazing place and it's great to see it doing so well -- but the crowd does make things a little less convenient. Kathy and I showed up around 10, and the doorman was having to not let anyone more in until some of the crowd from Coby Brown cleared out. It was packed for Quincy, and then we managed to get seats at a table for Steve's set. Moral of the story? Go early, stake a claim, and enjoy a full night of music.

But on to the music...

Steve was on at 11, so we got there in time for the 10pm, which was Quincy. I knew it was going to be a good night when I saw that Cisco DeLuna was playing with her. I first saw Cisco playing with Steve a couple years ago, and his lap steel has mesmerized me ever since. Quincy has a powerful voice and a sharp stage presence. The clips available off her site give a pretty good feel for what the live show sounds like. I especially enjoyed Afraid. Quincy would do this lateral head move a lot that I thought was pretty hot. When I was a freshman we called the corresponding front-to-back motion the pigeon. I guess hers would qualify as a sideways-pigeon.

Steve Reynolds played at 11, and it was a little bit of a throw-back show. Cisco (along with the drummer and bassist from Quincy's band) stayed up to play. That was definitely cool, since it'd been a while since I'd seen Steve and Cisco together. Steve's vibrating leg was back in high gear, which it hadn't been the last few times I saw him. And then, to top it all off, he played an instrumental Passport of a Minstrel at the end. When Steve plays instrumental, I go into shock. He and Rodney Branigan are the two guitarists I've ever seen that just make me sit there shaking my head in awe.

Friday I'm planning to head back to the Hotel to catch Jim Bianco and Pedestrian.