Keller Williams

Saturday, February 26; the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard)

Comments (0) By Jess Minnen Wednesday, Feb 23 2005

He's a one-man band with a band comprised of 26 guitars. Ever-teetering on the precipice of novelty, Keller Williams consistently remains aloft thanks to sheer talent. The man can handle a guitar. In fact, he can handle many guitars in quick succession, and he's equally adroit with his feet, which manage the labyrinth of pedals that control looping lines of melody, bass, harmony and insanity.

Ten years ago, Williams was an anomaly. Most solo guitarists didn't venture into the realm of digitized loops, fast-paced songs and non-acoustic music. Today, the scene is brimming, saturated with the likes of Martin Sexton and Bright Eyes. Pedals and loops and computers are old news. But Williams has refused to let old news become bad news. His constantly reworked live show has a longstanding reputation not only for greatness but for variety, and he packs in crowds again and again. A second Keller Williams show will never be the same Keller Williams show. He's also revered for his addictively danceable tunes -- not what you'd expect from a genre more often consigned to cross-legged campfire circles. Try to sit still during "Freaker by the Speaker" or Kellerized versions of "Rapper's Delight" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Good luck.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20; call 314-726-6161 for more information.