Drive-By Truckers members, current and past, play Vancouver in September

Anyone who's been following the Ear of Newt blog since it launched back in April of 2010--to little fanfair, but with a righteous thumbs-up to the Florida Guitar Army--knows that our fave band of the last little while has been the Drive-By Truckers. Over the years we've interviewed them, plugged the crap out of their shows, live-tweeted their gigs, reviewed their DVDs, spotlighted certain members (like underrated songwriting genius Mike Cooley), and analyzed certain songs (like Cooley's "Zip City"). Shit, we've even blabbed about their movie!

So, yeah, we like 'em. And we're happy as hell to report that--while the DBTs don't have a Vancouver show booked themselves--a couple of members, current and past, have just announced gigs here in September.

First up is former Truckers singer-guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell, who brings his band the 400 Unit to the Media Club on Tuesday, September 4 (ticket info here). He was with the DBTs from 2001 to 2007, and during that time penned some of their finest songs, including "Outfit", "Danko/Manuel", and "Decoration Day". And here's a beauty you might have missed, because it was only included on a 2009 collection of oddities and rarities:

Next up is Drive-By Truckers singer-guitarist Patterson Hood, who brings his other band the Downtown Rumblers to the Biltmore Cabaret on Saturday, September 29 (ticket info here). Hood wrote such DBT gems as "Ronnie and Neil", "Heathens", and "The Righteous Path". I always thought he hit his songwriting stride with the heartwrenching 2008 track, "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife":

Considering the heights both Isbell and Hood soared to with the DBTs, I have no qualms at all about recommending their upcoming solo gigs. Tix for the Isbell show go on sale Friday at 10 am, while tix for Hood go Saturday at 10 am, both via www.ticketweb.ca.

You can follow Steve Newton on Twitter at twitter.com/earofnewt.