500 Songs for Kids Night Five

The musical fundraiser at Smith's Olde Bar continues with classic rock

Smith’s Olde Bar again played host to another night of phenomenal music as the 500 Songs for Kids charity concert continued to steamroll its way forward. The fifth night of the event on May 4 was a perfect escape from the drudges of reality that typically accompany the beginning of the work week. On Sunday evening, the focus was on the music of the 80s, and Monday night brought a heavy dose of classic rock into the mix. The happy-hour crowd was treated to an array of timeless hits ranging from Jimi Hendrix’s cover of a cover "All Along the Watchtower" to Pink Floyd’s "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II." Abe Okie offered a solid take on the Eagles’ "Hotel California" that replaced the famous guitar solo with dueling violins to great effect.

Easily the most energetic performance of the night was Kilmory, as they managed to turn Def Leppard’s "Photograph" into a sexy, melodic death metal tune without batting an eye. Ledfoot Messiah made no mistakes when they rocked a cover of "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent that could have easily seared a strip steak (which would have certainly delighted the avid hunter that is Mr. Nugent). Scott Little Band then stirred up the crowd’s emotions with a roaring rendition of "Whipping Post" by the Allman Brothers Band.

Adding a bit of history to the evening was Liberty Jones with their great cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young’s political anthem "Ohio." They dedicated the song to the memories of the four students who lost their lives exactly 39 years ago to the day during the Kent State shootings of 1970. No evening of classic, hard-hitting rock would be complete without a proper Bette Midler (who else?!) tune.  Dwight Raby filled the void with a tear-inducing version of "Wind Beneath My Wings." 500 Songs for Kids continues on May 5 at 6:30 p.m. Arrive early to ensure you catch Gavin DeGraw, who takes the stage at 7:30 p.m..—Mike Vetter/Special to Metromix