Concert review: Pops Carter at the Boiler Room in Denton (May 1)

by Josh Hogan of of My Denton Music

It is hard not to be impressed by Pops Carter. The ninety-year-old blues legend is one of the most influential and respected artist is Denton. And in this town, that is saying a hell of a lot. You would be hard pressed to find a musician worth their salt around these parts who has not played with Pops in some form or fashion, at some point in their career, he is a true local legend who still shows the same passion and love for music as ever. In fact you can catch Pops out and about nearly every weekend at one show or another no matter what kind of music is being played. He is a true lover of the arts and a staple in the Denton music scene.

Pops Carter and his band, the Funkmonsters From Outer Space, took the stage one more time at the Boiler Room on Friday night for an evening of soulful blues tunes. A genre that is somewhat lacking in good quality but fortunately for us there is still Pops. A true showman in every sense, he was dressed in his familiar dapper attire and worked the crowd through three different sets. Christopher Tracey, the band's lead guitarist, is one of the true masters of his instrument and blitzed through the night with an unreal and straining display. The audience ate up every bit of it as well. People were up and moving, dancing and getting lost in the ocean of blues from Pops Carter and his band.

It is truly an honor to sit and watch this man perform. He has played with blues legends ranging from B.B. King to Stevie Ray Vaughn, and has influenced any number of musicians from all musical backgrounds. It is impossible not to smile when you watch him. His love of music and of life in general in intoxicating and should be experienced by every fan of quality music. I would personally like to thank Pops Carter and the Funkmonsters From Outer Space for the decades of entertainment they have provided, and I wish them many more years of the same.