Pop and Jazz Reviews : Femme Fatales Season ‘Antone’s’ Revue Mix

Musical misogynists, beware Austin, Tex. The estrogen quotient in the city’s lively blues scene couldn’t get much higher, and Antone’s--the famed club-cum-record label--has lately made a business of exporting its blues-belting womenfolk with a series of “Antone’s Women” revue tours and albums. A whole sextet of formidable female co-headliners made its way to the Palomino on Friday, with a seventh femme fatale on stage in the backing band.

Two fresh comers kicked off the show: Toni Price, a fine belter, and Sue Foley, the touted 23-year-old guitarist. Foley’s hotshot playing proved more mature than her erratic singing, but seeing someone so sweet-faced peel off monster licks so derivative (successfully so) of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s wall of 12-bar sound is a novelty too nifty to pass up.

On the veteran end of the spectrum were two ‘60s hitmakers with comeback albums due from Antone’s this year. The funky chops of Barbara Lynn--who set herself off early from the R&B; crop as one of the premier female guitar-slingers--stood in gritty contrast to her glamorous high-heels ‘n’ hoop-earrings look. On the earthier side, Lavelle White went for the hip-grinding, middle-aged sexpot approach of an Etta James.

Rounding out the bill were the stalwart throats and blues threats of Lou Ann Barton (the latest Austin Hall of Fame inductee, she sang her trademark macha gender-bender “Rocket in My Pocket”) and Angela Strehli.