The Gaslights

There's something about winter that invites a steep dive into Americana music. Maybe it's the smell of firewood smoke in the air. Maybe it's the cold austerity in the artwork of those final Johnny Cash albums. Or maybe it's that your sturdiest winter boots just happen to be Justin ropers. (On the other hand, maybe it's all the country singers pulling up outside the Ameristar Casino and the Beaumont Club this season.) In any case, take caution before cozying up to Kansas City's the Gaslights, who wouldn't think twice before rocking you right out of your easy chair, through the door and ass-up into the snow. That's why we hesitate to label the Gaslights country. Sure, Abigail Henderson's feisty voice has enough dirt road in it to navigate western Kansas, and the ballroom-worthy beats of most of the songs ain't moshin' material. Whatever it is, it has twang, it has rock and it definitely has plenty of heart. On the group's latest, Lines and Wires, guitarist (and Davey's Uptown bartender) Chris Meck further cements his title as one of the area's best Telecaster-slingin' outlaws. And Henderson, well, there's no getting around her — she's the kind of singer who can bust heads and break hearts in the same song. In fact, rather than run a picture of the band, we'll just use this one here of Abby. Y'all don't need to see the boys anyway — they ain't much to look at.