Reviews

It's probably safe to assume that Marc Broussard knows something about gumbo. Not only is he a native of Louisiana (Carencro), but the singer-songwriter also served up a delectable set of spicy jams, seasoned ballads and meaty portions of rock and funk during his nearly two-hour set at the House of Blues on Thursday night.

The 26-year-old personified Southern charm the moment he appeared in blue jeans and a brown button-down shirt emblazoned with his trademark guitar logo to riff with his four-piece band on a medley that included "I Want to Take You Higher" and "Master Blaster." His agile tenor voice was a bit grainier than expected, because he was under the weather, but aside from a few breathless notes and the occasional coughing spell, it didn't impede his focus or enthusiasm.

Mr. Broussard filled the venue with his multihued hybrid of blues, rock and soul, starting with feverishly funky covers, such as "You Can Leave Your Hat On," "Come in From the Cold" and, surprisingly, the Time's "The Bird." A hard-driving up-tempo song from his upcoming fall release, "Man for Life," was also warmly received.

The ballads were what moved the fans the most. Appreciative cheers and whistles greeted Mr. Broussard's picturesque narrative on heartbreak, "Lonely Night in Georgia." The autobiographical track "The Wanderer" was also an instant singalong. Al Green's spirit was invoked for a rollicking cover of "Love and Happiness," which found Mr. Broussard strutting the length of the stage, shaking hands and wearing an infectious grin.

Opener K.S. Rhoads, wearing his signature fedora, put his Nashville roots on display with the moody tempest "Dark Hotel" and the lamenting title track to his newly released CD, Dead Language. Mr. Rhoads has a fluid tenor and falsetto, and displayed an unexpected hip-hop influence by way of a humorous freestyle: "I know you're standing there like, 'I don't know what to think,' then you say, 'Well I guess the opening act don't stink.' "

Lorrie Irby Jackson is a freelance writer based in Dallas.

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