On Wednesday, Aug. 25, Dean and I had a craving for some pub grub. Luckily for us, our friend Kendall Levesque was scheduled to perform that night at Top Dawg Tavern. With images of burgers and fries dancing in our heads, we headed over early to grab dinner before the show.
The restaurant wasn’t busy when we arrived, so we were quickly seated at a booth in the bar area. Televisions along the walls and over the bar were tuned to different stations. The television nearest our table broadcast a Little League baseball game.
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Kendall came over to visit with us for a bit before he started his set. It was a hot and muggy night outside. Instead of setting up to play out on the covered patio, he opted for air-conditioning, performing near the bar.
We had an hour to kill before show time, so we ordered our dinner, starting with the Buffalo chicken dip and tortilla chips as an appetizer. Happy hour specials that night included domestic draft and bottled beers for $2.50. Dean treated himself to a Coors Light and the Tavern Burger. I opted for iced tea and the Coney Island hot dogs. Covered in chili and drizzled with mustard, the dogs were simply perfect. Our food arrived quickly and was hot and tasty. The pace of dinner allowed us time to relax and catch up after a hectic workday.
Once Dean and I were finished with our meal, we headed over to the small listening area in the back corner behind the bar. We were thrilled to discover multiple sofas and chairs near the stage. It was like being in the living room of a friend’s home. We grabbed a velvet loveseat in front of the stage and set our drinks on the coffee table before us. There couldn’t have been a better seat in the entire place.
The night became a lot more fun when local artist and friend Michael Drake popped in to join us. It was like old home week. The last time we had all been together was at a show Kendall played at the now defunct Men’s Refinery downtown.
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Purveyor of “the other other country,” Kendall speaks to the soul of working class America. He began his set with the classic country tune “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard before launching into “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash. Other songs covered were “ Ramblin Man” by the Allman Brothers and “Take it Easy” by the Eagles.
Kendall played original tunes like “Working Man” and “Six Strings and You.” His smooth country-drenched Americana hits the soul with its power and passion. Kendall’s voice flows over you like warm milk and will make you cry if you’re not careful.
Kendall will be on tour in Greer and Greenville, S.C. as well as Savannah. He’s going places. Catch him when you can. You’ll want to be able to say you knew him before he hit it big because he’s definitely on his way.
Find Kendall Levesque online at https://www.facebook.com/kendalllevesquemusic
The first Top Dawg Tavern opened in 2013 in Bethlehem, Ga. and has grown into a small chain with South Carolina locations in Hilton Head, Summerville and Columbia. The Augusta restaurant is the second location in Georgia and is situated at 2821 Washington Rd.
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Top Dawg Tavern features music at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The atmosphere at Top Dawg is lively and the waitstaff and bartenders are friendly and accommodating. If you find yourself craving tasty eats and live music, give Top Dawg Tavern a try. It’s fun for the entire family. Learn more about Top Dawg Tavern at https://www.facebook.com/TDT.Augusta
This Labor Day weekend features live music happenings including Nick Brown at Edgar’s Above Broad at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3. Derrick Dove and the Peacekeepers rock the house at 9:30 p.m. at Chevy’s on Friday. On Saturday, Sept. 4, catch the Roadhouse Blues Band at Shannon’s at 8 p.m.
Francie Klopotic is an author, artist and music aficionado living in Augusta. She writes The Night Beat column the first and third Fridays of each month.
