Sonic Hospitality

Red Tub. Red Door. Right Bank. Red Shack. Alien Carnival. …….Columbia scenes.

I returned to my hometown in 2006 after more than a decade of life in Ohio. Soon after, I met Bentz Kirby as our respective weeknight song quests intersected at some beer joint or other.

With eyes squinting to make room for his welcoming smile, Bentz has been introducing me to his endless array of musical and artistic friends and collaborators ever since. Every time I catch him and his wife May Kirby in town, it’s as if I’m just checking back in on the infinite rock ‘n’ roll party that is their life.

House concerts. Benefit shows. Tribute events. Songwriter showcases. Radio spots. I wanted to capture this radiant couple as part of my ongoing look at Columbia musicians and artistic personalities..

If ever you happen upon these two around town, just go with the assumption that you’re somewhere near the center of the coolness universe.