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Music

Gary Clark, Jr.

GARY CLARK JR. with DARREN GLOVER at the Rivoli (332 Queen West), Friday (August 19), 8 pm. $20.75. RT, SS, TW. See listing


You can almost see aging rock critics drooling over the possibility that hotshot Austin guitarist Gary Clark Jr. is the long-awaited saviour of the blues. There aren’t a lot of young black players coming into the genre any more, and fewer still with Clark’s onstage charisma and star appeal. But being seen as the guy to reintroduce the genre to a younger generation has got to be intense.

“I think there’s only pressure when people ask me if I feel pressure,” Clark shyly jokes from a pit stop in Quebec. “If I think about it too much, I might trip myself out. I just try to keep it moving and stay calm.”

At 27, he’s already spent over a decade in the business, cutting his teeth in the Austin bar scene and playing alongside Texas blues legends old enough to be his grandparents. It was a scene he fell into, and his combination of youth and impressive chops brought him fast attention.

“I didn’t really understand exactly why at the time, but now I understand [the community’s] sense of relief that there are people still paying attention to and loving this music. In the grand scheme of things, blues isn’t as popular as other genres, yet most things stem from it.”

After releasing a couple of independent albums, he got snapped up by Warner, which just dropped his Bright Lights EP. Four songs long, it showcases Clark’s varied strengths, ranging from fuzzed-out stompers to acoustic soul. Maybe not the easiest thing for a major label to brand, but so far Warner hasn’t tried to crack down on his shape-shifting ways.

“I was a little bit concerned about that. You hear how major labels can put something on an artist that doesn’t necessarily fit, but they’ve been really cool. I’m still just doing what I’ve been doing for a while, so it’s all good.”

benjaminb@nowtoronto.com

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