If you are a regular concert attendee in Portland, then it is safe to assume that you have seen this amazing duo. If not, well you owe it to yourself to get your ass into their next show.

I used to actually work in the same mall as Henry Kammerer where he would serve me good cold beers after work, and sometimes during. I had heard that he was in a band and finally one of my co-workers went to a Hillstomp show and came in the next morning proclaiming that his musical life had utterly been changed seeing them perform.

The very next show they played in Portland I was in the audience. I was in no way prepared for what came over the speakers at me when they started playing, and I still feel that way every time I see these guys in concert.

Hill Stomp has been a long standing absolute favorite of mine in the Portland Music scene for as long as I can remember.

 Their no bullshit, no pandering, just get down and get at it hill blues renditions are a breath of fresh air amongst other acts that attempt this pure style of music and end up landing somewhere in the range of rock or folk with a bluesy influence.

When I went to their show at the Doug Fir, I drug along a couple friends who are always begging me to bring them to a great show some time. I figured Hill Stomp would be one of the best they could possibly see.

As is usual when I bring someone to one of their shows, I usually prime them with a little music from one or more of their CDs. What I love is that people get an idea in their head about the type of people that will be in attendance at such a show. My friends were floored when they got an eye full of the crowd at the Doug Fir that night.

The crowd ranged in age from early twenties on up to people firmly in their middle age. There was even a girl in the crowd dressed like a missing cast member from the Material Girl by Madonna video.

This is one of the greatest blessings about John and Henry's music. You don't have to be a die hard blues fan to really enjoy what they put out there. Whether you are a blues fan or generally look for something with a more intense sound or even like a more mellow folk environment, these two manage to cross the gambit, sometimes just flowing up and down with the swing of things while John taps out a mellow beat on his wonderful home made drum set and Henry makes his guitar cry up and down pulling you in and rocking you about the room and then just as quickly as they have gotten you to relax they switch things up and fill the room with a hard stomping rift from Henry and drum run that would put a lot of rock bands to shame.

It's this ability to take a crowd in just about every direction with a sound that is not normally associated with the hipster elite crowds that normally flock to venues like the Doug Fir, and gather fans in every age group you can imagine that fuels my love for this band and their music.

Again, I can not recommend seeing Henry and John in concert enough. Get out there, see them, listen and enjoy shaking your ass to some of the best tunes offered in Portland.

Jake Carlsen

Editor for LiveMusicPDX.com

Jake.Carlsen@LiveMusicPDX.com