The Mighty Stef, The Rio
Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, the Mighty Stef and his backing band combined classic rock with Johnny Cash-esque lyrics about tough times, heartache and drinking a little too much Irish whiskey. The perfect blend of his Martin and his bandmate’s Les Paul through an Orange head and stack gives his sound a rocking yet folksy foundation to support the poignant lyrics about his troubled Irish heart. This current trip to the US has fared much better than his 2006 trek to the States—that’s when the Mighty Stef was robbed of his wallet, passport, video camera and guitar, leaving the drifting singer/ songwriter alone with his thoughts and his Wayfarers. At least the experience inspired more material, which is wonderfully presented in the CD we picked up, 100 Midnights.