Jeff Liles gave me a tour of The Kessler last week -- hadn't yet seen behind every door and corner. Workers were installing a new bar; a handful of 6- and 7-year-old girls were taking ballet lessons in the auditorium; their mothers were in the back, reading and knitting. Jeff took me upstairs, to rooms whose doors were labeled "GUITAR" and "PIANO." Behind the former was Kenny Withrow, on the phone. He stopped to say hi and shake my hand -- the nicest guy.
Which reminded me: Much of Withrow's history as a working musician -- and influencial guitarist -- is documented over on The Live Music Archive, where I'll occasionally come across one of the some 70 News Bos shows kept there -- from '87 gigs (Theater Gallery, Fry Street, Starck Club, 500 Cafe, even someone's house) to the '06 show at the Music Hall at Fair Park to an '07 Edie-free jam at the AllGood. Fairly sure we were all there, at some point.