By Karynn Brown
Photos by Jay Douglass
April 30, 2018
Katy Guillen & The Girls perform at The Zoo Bar in Lincoln, Neb., on April 26, 2018. Jay Douglass/KZUM.
Roots-blues trio Katy Guillen & The Girls played an early show at The Zoo Bar on Thursday, bringing a hearty crowd to the venue\
Katy Guillen, on lead guitar and vocals, was joined by bassist Claire Adams and drummer Stephanie Williams to create the classic country-blues centered group. These three have produced two albums together, Katy Guillen and the Girls and Remember What You Knew Before.
Both records with the group have been recorded on their own independent record label, Katy Guillen and the Girls Records, which was born in 2016 with the release of the self-titled album.
The release of Remember What You Knew Before prompted the women to travel a short tour through much of March and early April, taking them through Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.
Kansas City natives, the trio was invited to play the Royals’ Kauffman stadium weekly Wednesday night concert series and performed before a recent game against the Brewers.
The three-hour long Zoo Bar show allowed the group to play several sets, engaging with the crowd during the short breaks. The lengthy showcase allowed the group to play several favorite new and older songs, including one written by bassist Adams.
One such lyrical showcase was the piece entitled “Bangled Bastards/City of Fountains,” which paid homage to their Kansas City roots.
Katy Guillen & The Girls perform at The Zoo Bar in Lincoln, Neb., on April 26, 2018. Jay Douglass/KZUM.
Katy Guillen and The Girls play with a classic and well-worn blues voice. Guillen’s vocal tonality and slick work with slide guitar place them firmly in the roots rock genera. The crisp rhythms produced by Adams and Williams gives the trio a clean and simple sound which holds true to the repetitive cycles of a blues jam.
Their talented and full-bodied sound is a welcome reminder that three women can more than hold their own in the male-dominated genre.
The show ended with a hearty drum solo by Williams and a final round of the classic“Baby Please Don’t Go”Find our more about the band at kgandthegirls.com.
Karynn Brown is an editorial intern with KZUM. Jay Douglass is a photography contributor.
