Steve Kaul & The Brass Kings – Hook and Ladder, 12/2/16 – Who knew a washtub could produce nuclear energy?  Steve Kaul’s vocals and and metal-bodied resonator guitars led a musical tour de force, anchored by Brad Ptacek’s perfect pitch washtub/punk bass and Mikkel Beckmen’s polyrhythmic washboard.  As the reactor engine was warming up, vunderkind fiddler Jillian Roe’s incredibly accurate punctuations and lithe soloing pushed the band and audience to escape gravity.  It didn’t hurt that the sound mixing was great either (what, no bleeding ears?).  The amount of energy pouring off the stage was equal to any electric band I’ve heard, and hearing is believing.  Organic, soulful, powerful, irresistible.