Bill Kirchen does not do Christmas music straight. His annual Honky Tonk Holiday show — arriving at Lovin’ Cup in Rochester on Sunday, November 29 — feeds standard seasonal material into the same Telecaster that has been bending country and rock to his will for sixty years, and what comes back is something the holiday radio programmers did not plan for: yuletide numbers run through a dieselbilly filter, humorous twists on the familiar, and a room that gets warmer the farther the set moves from anything resembling a carol.
About the Show
Kirchen co-founded Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, the country-rock band whose 1972 hit “Hot Rod Lincoln” reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. He has spent the decades since recording under his own name and working alongside a range of figures whose company tells you something about the breadth of his music: Emmylou Harris, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley. Guitar Player magazine dubbed him the “Titan of the Telecaster.” Rolling Stone called him “an American treasure.” He received a Grammy nomination for “Poultry in Motion” and was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame in 2002.
This past May, Kirchen released Cat Out of the Bag on Last Music Co., an album he describes as “a celebration of getting through the worst of the pandemic unscathed” and the broadest artistic scope of his career to date. The 11-track record, dedicated to keyboardist Austin De Lone, a longtime collaborator who passed away before its completion, spans uptempo rockers and more contemplative material, carrying the signature blend of rockabilly, honky-tonk, Western swing, and Americana that has marked his solo work.
The Lovin’ Cup date is presented by Bop Shop Records. Kirchen will be backed by his touring band: Jack Saunders on bass and Rick Richards on drums. The evening mixes holiday material with unconventional arrangements alongside classic country and rock selections.
Venue & Logistics
Lovin’ Cup, at 300 Park Point Dr. in Rochester, is a 250-capacity bar and music venue in the Finger Lakes region. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show.
Tickets
Advance tickets are $30; day-of tickets are $35. The event is all ages. Tickets go off sale day-of, though door purchases may still be available. Buy tickets