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Jim Messina
Played The Classics And
Told Stories At
The Kent Stage
 IMG_0636rt |  Jim Messina |  Jim Messina Band |
|---|---|---|
 Jim Messina |  Jim Messina |  Jim Messina Band |
 Jim Messina |  Jim Messina |
March 20, 2026
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Jim Messina, the troubadour from California, brought his extensive catalog with him to The Kent Stage last night for a great evening of country-rock.
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Best known for being in Buffalo Springfield, Poco and Loggins and Messina, Jim and his impressive backing four-piece band played selections from his nearly sixty year career. The first set started out with mostly acoustic tunes that included the Loggins and Messina classics "House At Pooh Corner" and "Danny's Song."
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Messina also told some stories between some song, like how he wanted a steel guitar player for a Buffalo Springfield song and how they ended up getting Rusty Young from Colorado because he was cheaper than paying scale for a session musician. That ended up being a wise choice because Messina, along with Young and RIchie Furay ended up forming Poco after Buffalo Springfield disbanded.
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An electric guitar was brought out for the second half of the first set as the band went into Poco's "You Better Think Twice" and "Call It Love" while ending with Loggins and Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance" and a great cover of Tommy James' "Dragging The Line."
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After a short break, the band returned to play more classic tunes that included a medley of "Loving Me," "Make Your Woman Feel Wanted" and "Peace of Mind." The band went into an extended version of "Angry Eyes" that really showcased the talents of each band member that ended the set.
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The enthusiastic crowd wanted more, so the group returned to encore with "She Gotta Rock" and "You Need A Man."
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At the end of the show, Messina told the audience that he was going to stick around and do a Q & A with anyone that had a question for him. He said it was a good way for him to connect with his fans without having to be in close proximity because he has had COVID a couple of times. That session lasted another 45 minutes until everyone had an opportunity to ask a question.
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What a very cool thing to do.
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Review and photos by Greg Drugan