With the warm weather finally upon us here in Philadelphia, I can think of no better way to celebrate night three of NON-COMM 2022 than with a blistering set from Kentucky’s S.G. Goodman. Opening up The NPR Music Stage on Thursday evening, Goodman and her band heated things up with an impeccable set of country-tinged rock and roll, playing songs off both her debut Old Time Feeling and upcoming record Teeth Marks (due out 6/3).
Whether you know her or not, Goodman’s music has the feeling of something you know, a familiar bluesy rock and roll you can hear attempted by every bar band from here to Kentucky. The thing is, most can’t actually pull it off as well as they might hope. Hearing Goodman and her band rip through their set, you are reminded of how much better things can sound in the hands of experts like them. Goodman was plenty self-effacing between songs, turning on a kind of humble charm, but the songs really spoke for themselves. This is, after all, an artist who won the admiration of Jim James, who produced her debut album, no slouch himself.
Goodman finished off her set with a brand new song titled, “Keeper of the Time,” an absolute ripper that extended into a full-band jam session, hurtling toward the finish line. Though Goodman may be a relatively unfamiliar name to many to begin the night, the chops, vocals, and impressive songwriting definitely won her over at least a few new supporters.