Brendan McKinney
He was much too cool to work the "newspaper connection" angle. Instead, Brendan touted how Space-Stationed U.S. astronaut Cady Coleman had chosen (of all the songs in the galaxy!) to perform his "Get Yourself Paroled" in a recent, long-distance videophone jam-up with her band at SXSW. Only after I got into his rousing new set of alt country/twang rock, "Best They Can," and his hefty vocal strengths (sometimes evocative of a young Neil Diamond), did I go reading the man's bio. Lo and behold, Brendan's the offspring of the late longtime Daily News columnist and talk radio star Jack McKinney. So the Nashville-based musician's show here is quite the homecoming and cause for celebration. Guitarist Kevin Hanson and bassist Jim Steager (of Huffamoose fame) are among those who'll be sitting in.