"Get your motor runnin'...Head out on the highway... Lookin' for adventure...And anything that comes our way!" That was exactly the mood I was in last Saturday. The weather was not too hot or too cold, and everybody and their mother seemed to be out in Chitown's streets, while on my way to see James Apollo play.
 
The Underground Lounge, non-ironically, is indeed not above ground. The lighting is nice and dark for people wanting to hide their pussy-pulsating zits, milk-chocolate-brown- stained fangs, stubborn-darn dandruff, and the list could easily go on and on!
 
However, I would rather tell you about a guy I sort of got to know there. After my shameless poking and prodding of James Apollo's drummer, Devon Wilkerson, I discovered he is a Sagittarius who has an ultra cool sky-diving, scuba-diving, goat-saving mom who had bought her sons musical instruments when they were quite young. Devon had taken over his brother's drum set and, now, not only tours with, James Apollo, but also, band's named "The Horde" and "The Harem." Wilkerson did not bitch or moan throughout the examination--he answered all my questions, and could not have been more gracious in the process.

The show was about to start, and James Apollo's roots rock 'n' roll and Americana sound, coupled with lyrics probably billions of souls could identify with, were expected to come straight from his heart.

The first song played was "Happiness," which was a smart choice, given no one at the bar seemed as if he or she raced from a wake, where the embalmed person in the casket, shockingly, did not wake up.
 
James Apollo's music definitely reminded me of the kind played in the background of Old Westerns Movies. Plus, the semi-cowboy-ish clothed, James Apollo, combined with his take-charge stage presence, efficacy in rounding up his band and getting his audience to get wild, very well may have lots of ladies and gents wanting to save a horse and ride a cowboy!
 
Also enticing to get a wee bit rowdy, were James Apollo's heartfelt, sexy sweet and tender vocals, as well as, his stomping and hopping onstage, while the tempos of many of his songs unforeseeably were to become climatic, along with Wilkerson's strong, passionate and precise drum-playing.
 
The band's chanting in the blast-off of a handful of James Apollo's tunes shot right through the bodies of the audience, too, with x's, xy's and what-have-you's eagerly jumping on the bandwagon, amazingly dancing in time to James Apollo's ever-so-quick beats. I thought, golly, am I dancing with Meth-Head Desert Rats here or what?
 
James Apollo and his band exited the stage after about an hour of intensely intoxicating performing, and I was itching, scratching and nearly drooling to score another such adrenaline fix.
 
A pretty lady I spoke to after the show, was still all giddy and elated, and said "James Apollo and his band are awesome--great--I love them! Cutie, Allie Powell, was really wowed by James Apollo, also, and stated she loved the saxophonist coming out into the audience because it showed their music has no barriers.
 
According to the several straight men I have talked to over the years, who are outside of the music industry, they should only be so lucky to get responses and praises regarding their love-making from the ladies, as those above, which were solely about James Apollo's music performed live!
 
Tying it up, James Apollo is not just a one-trick pony, as the Naked Cowboy appears to be, since the latter merely plays guitar in his undies in New York City's Time Square. James Apollo is a serious talent with growing artistical depth and success, while the Naked Cowboy is busy dodging pigeon droppings.
 
For information on James Apollo's CDs and Tour Dates, you can visit: www.JamesApollo.com

*Photo by Tracy Walsh