I have been seeing the name Roxy Roca popping up a lot lately so I decided to head down to Threadgill’s last weekend to see who this Roxy Roca is. It turns out Roxy Roca is not a who, but a what—and the “what” is a nine-piece powerhouse of southern soul. Fronted by green-eyed soul shouter Taye Cannon and backed up by a crack team of veteran players, this band is the real deal.
Roxy Roca | Ain’t Nothin’ Fancy (It’s Love)
Roxy Roca delivered a tight, gapless set showcasing their obvious affinity for late ’60s southern soul like Al Green and Joe Tex mashed up with a slightly more modern pop sensibility, as heard in their Internet-only single, “Ain’t Nothin’ Fancy (It’s Love).”
As the band led the crowd of sweaty dancers (it was about 100 degrees outside, after all) with their driving rhythms and pounding horns, they displayed impressive swagger and confidence for a band that played their first show well under a year ago. It is evident why the name Roxy Roca is popping up all over the place—and I suspect you’ll be seeing it a lot more before you know it.
Roxy Roca | I’m a Ram
Roxy Roca | Grits Ain’t Groceries
Speaking of “popping up all over the place,” Roxy Roca is playing tonight at the legendary Continental Club and tomorrow (Fri. 9/2) at upstart east-side club The Scoot Inn.
