Sgt. Splendor feat. Kate Vargas & Eric McFadden

John Norwood Fisher at The Mint

Sgt. Splendor feat. Eric McFadden & Kate Vargas w/ Norwood Fisher, Stephen Perkins, Wally Ingram plus other special guests

Sgt. Splendor Acoustic Duo strips down the high-voltage, carnivalesque alt-rock of their full-band format to reveal a raw, spellbinding masterclass in roots-noir and desert blues. Comprising acclaimed singer-songwriter Kate Vargas and guitar virtuoso Eric McFadden (George Clinton, Eric Burdon), the duo trades massive electric stacks for a gritty, intimate acoustic chemistry.

Vargas’s haunting, Tom Waits-esque narrative swagger pairs perfectly with McFadden’s mesmerizing, Spanish-influenced fretboard pyrotechnics. Together, they reimagine tracks from their critically acclaimed albums like Death Of The Hoochie Koo and Isotopia as haunting, stomp-and-holler fireside tales. It is a striking blend of swampy Americana, Junkyard folk, desert blues, and world-class showmanship that proves great songwriting needs nothing more than a voice, a guitar, and a mutual spark.

"Merging two wildly distinct musical minds into a unified creative force often results in polite compromise, but when the chemistry is real, the collision yields something truly extraordinary. Formed by acclaimed Americana songwriter Kate Vargas and legendary guitar virtuoso Eric McFadden, Sgt. Splendor has never sounded like a watered-down union. Instead, the project feels like two fully formed artistic planets colliding, anchored by a shared Southwestern upbringing and a deep passion for adventurous storytelling. Vargas built her formidable reputation through vivid imagery and unconventional songwriting, drawing praise from major outlets like NPR, Vice, and Rolling Stone. McFadden carried decades of restless guitar exploration, boasting a legendary résumé that includes collaborations with George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Fantastic Negrito, Jackson Browne, and Joan Baez." - Apricot Magazine

www.sgtsplendor.com