Live reviews
Drive-By
Truckers, Leamington Spa Assembly
I wouldn't normally begin a gig review with something totally unrelated
to music, but having never visited Leamington Spa before, I feel I'd be
doing our readers a disservice if I didn't mention the exquisite Indian
restaurant that lies opposite the pleasant Warwickshire town's Assembly
Rooms. Run by an enthusiastic, and by his own admission, rebellious chef
called Shaun, we were informed that they were trying to embellish the
“Indian experience” by staying true, visually and sonically,
to the classic curry house style, but by absolutely blowing the menu options
out of the water. And boy, do they achieve this! Everything is explained
to you down to the tiniest detail, even the best way to eat and savour
your meals, and it was clear just after the astonishing layered vegetarian
starter, the like of which I'd never seen or tasted, that this place was
something special. My main dish then achieved the seemingly impossible
by being even more mouth wateringly delicious than its predecessor - and
with an “all you can eat” promise thrown in for good measure!
So, readers, if you ever find yourself attending a gig at The Assembly
Rooms - or even just in Leamington Spa - I absolutely insist that you
visit Kismet Indian restaurant, which is, without any shadow of a doubt,
the greatest curry house I have ever had the good fortune to visit. Oh,
and judging by the noises from the table opposite us, the tour manager
of the gig I'm about to review was as impressed as we were. And he's American,
so he should know value for money when he sees it!
Over to the Assembly Rooms then, where a burly looking doorman is asked
by my companion if the venue were, perhaps, formerly a cinema, and responds,
with surprisingly wry humour that it “looks like it was a bloody
knocking shop to me”!
Up the stairs and we are met by an amicable, if slightly unkempt, looking
crowd gathered amongst the blue lit haze of the hall shortly before the
support act arrives on stage. I hadn't even bothered to check beforehand
who would be opening for DBT, so imagine my delight when Josh T Pearson
emerges to play a solo acoustic set, a man whose only outing as a band
was Lift To Experience's “The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads”, surely
one of the standout albums of the noughties. What instantly struck me
(and surprised me) about Josh was how witty he was, not necessarily due
to the tried and tested (and in some cases, shockingly old) gags he was
so fond of doling out, but in the way he dealt with hecklers (a man shouted,
somewhat bizarrely, “Have you got a hairy stripper?”, to which
Pearson retorted “no, not on me”, and then, mischievously, “but
I can get ya one!”) and in his own self mockery. For some strange
reason, I expected his demeanour to be more Charles Manson than Charles
Hawtrey, but it's probably fair to say he won over the entire audience
- very quickly - by informing them he was about to start with a Boney
M cover. Much mirth ensued, yet he went on to perform a remarkably poignant,
stripped down and slowed to 33 and a third rpm version of “Rivers
Of Babylon”, but not before pointing out that “I learnt it from
Willie Nelson, not Boney M”. What followed was a set of confident
spine-tinglers and toe-tappers before our tastebuds were tickled with
a stick of dynamite.
Drive-By Truckers really were that explosive. Beginning with the stark,
brooding masterpiece, “Used To be A Cop” that shines vibrantly
from the excellent new album “Go-Go Boots” is enough to make
you catch your breath, but when Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley launch
into the squealing, reeling guitar riffery of “Where The Devil Don't
Stay”, it's as though somebody has loaded their instruments with
TNT and watched as they erupt. There is, indeed, a lot of mileage to be
gleaned from the latter song's parent album, perhaps as an acknowledgement
by the band themselves that yes, “The Dirty South” WILL probably
always be remembered as their coup de grace by the majority of their fans,
and you know what? They're unflinchingly PROUD of that, which is in itself
something quite satisfying to see. They're not afraid to throw some “rock
shapes” either, caring not one iota if the Cooley/Hood poses struck
at various interludes might come across as “a bit Status Quo”.
Hell no - they know they're the kings of cool up there in the limelight
and bassist Shonna Tucker looks more than happy to stand there obligingly
and let them get on with their own buddy movie.
Of course, the most recent offering is the next most plundered album,
with the title track a standout, but also the glorious Eddie Hinton cover
that is “Everybody Needs Love”, but the Truckers have a touching
affiliation with ALL their fans, and just about every long player they've
released received some kind of an airing, from the gritty “72 (This
Highway's Mean)” and the celebratory rock of “Ronnie And Neil”
from their magnum opus “Southern Rock Opera” through the straight
ahead feelgood throb of “Marry Me” from the rather underappreciated
“Decoration Day” which remains one of my personal favourites,
through to the earlier “Buttholeville” from their debut which
they blitz through at such a ferocious pace that you can't help but feel
your mouth widen to a grin of Batman villain proportions.
How do they follow that, you wonder? No problem, they encore with “Zip
City” and “Let There Be Rock” from the previously mentioned
Lynyrd Skynyrd informed tribute, and we are all left more than satisfied.
Three hours have just flown by - two of which were impeccably performed
by quite possibly the greatest band that Athens, Georgia has ever seen…and
yes, I AM including a certain other band in that accolade - in what seems
like about fifteen minutes.
Simply staggering.
Tone E
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