First Music Update of 2012
by Tonya
Live Stuff:
Drive-by Truckers with The Futurebirds – 40 Watt, Athens
What a brilliant way to kick off the 2012 year in shows, two hometown bands played my favorite venue in Athens. The Futurebirds opened the show and Patterson came out to end their set with a kicked-up version of Wild Heart. They really are such a fun, fun band. I then got to spend the evening hanging out and dancing my ass off with the rest of the gang in Cooleyville until I escaped for a cold beer and some fresh air during the encore break. For those wondering, David Barbe filled in on bass for the Athens gigs, though I understand he’s probably not the permanent replacement for Shonna. I also understand that I should have made more of an effort to go back for the night when Alabama Shakes opened, a very hard-to-impress pal from The Roadhouse gang told me they’re the best live band he’s seen for a long time.
Langhorne Slim with Holy Ghost Tent Revival – 40 Watt, Athens
I’ll just say right up front that they easily could have reversed the billing on this as HGTR brought down the house. I really don’t even know how to describe their sound. They could probably be called a roots band…but there’s horns, and banjo, and guitar, and keys, and bass, and drums all mixed into a ridiculous, fabulous racket. After their set, about a third of the crowd left and took a lot of the enthusiasm from the room with them. I stayed for about 3/4 of Langhorne’s set and what I watched was good…just not mind blowing. Since I’d driven home from Murfreesboro that evening, I was worn out and headed home (only to be awake until 4:00 in the moring. Stinking insomnia).
Old 97′s, Rhett Miller, The O’s – 40 Watt, Athens
I almost stayed home last night. But, since my time in Athens may be coming to an end pretty soon, I’m going to make every effort to suck the life out of it before I go. Suffice it to say, that I drug my feet long enough that I only got to see the last song from The O’s, but it was super high energy (perfect opener for the 97s) and I really wish I’d have made it out earlier. Rhett came out and did a few numbers solo and then the rest of the 97s joined him, but not before Murray mysteriously disappeared from the stage for a minute. Later, he fessed up that his fly was down (or “my barn door was open” as he put it) and he didn’t want to horrify the people in the front row. It was the best 97s show that I’ve seen in a long time, all of the energy you expect from them but with out the canned/forced stage banter that sometimes comes with their shows. I wish I’d have kept track of the set list…but I decided to just enjoy the show so I’m afraid this is a pretty craptastic show review.
Recorded Stuff:
Other than the Black Keys new one, I haven’t really been listening to too much new stuff because I’ve been completely infatuated with The Star Room Boys’ Why Do Lonely Men and Women Want To Break Each Others Hearts? Man, I’d have killed to live in Athens when they were still kicking around.
