North Mississippi Allstars shake 'em on down at the Rio
Saw my first concert at the Rio Theatre last night, and I gotta say, I love that venue for live music.
The sound was great. And not only that, you can buy PBR in a can and walk around with it.
Mind you, it helps if the band you’re seeing is as conducive to blue-collar brew as the North Mississippi Allstars.
The NMA were touring behind their latest album, World Boogie is Coming, which pays tribute to the Mississippi hill-country blues artists they grew up with–awesome dudes like R.L. Burnside, Otha Turner, and Jr. Kimbrough.
So you had guitarist-vocalist Luther Dickinson, drummer-vocalist Cody Dickinson, and bassist-vocalist Lightnin’ Malcolm going to town on the type of hypnotic, git-yer-ass-up tuneage just made for a Friday night.
Highlights of the evening included when Cody pulled out an amplified washboard for some psychedelic scrapings, and when all three members grabbed drums of different sizes for a singalong on Turner’s “Granny, Does Your Dog Bite”.
Guitar freaks were no doubt entranced throughout by Luther’s off-the-cuff, fingerpicked mastery of his signature Gibson ES-335, which he utilized to fine effect on Bukka White’s “Shake ‘Em on Down”.
The trio saved the best for last when Luther pulled out his two-string coffee-can guitar for a shit-kicker encore version of the traditional backwoods barnburner “Rollin & Tumblin”.
You bet your ass I’d drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log to see them perform that number again. (Hopefully, whoever books the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival might be reading this.)
Till then, this sweet-lookin’ poster will do to keep the memory warm.
Comments
2 Comments
Martin Dunphy
Jan 25, 2014 at 2:53pm
Newt:
Muddy water? Hollow log?
Well, kiss my grits! That dog don't hunt up here!
m. jansen ontario
Feb 2, 2014 at 11:19am
these guys r so good. class act. In 1 month they're in Toronto.. saw them in Pittsburgh second show of this tour last sept. Was worth the drive, do it again in a heartbeat. Yeah granny my little dog do bite.. hurry up march 4 really looking forward 2 it..