“I don’t care about these guys,” yelled the beefy security guard at the Paradise Rock Club, gesturing toward the band on stage, “but the [Drive-By Truckers] say no professional cameras.” With a wave of his floppy walkie-talkie antenna, he turned and muscled his way through the liquored-up crowd . . . . Wrong on two counts: (1) Athens, Georgia band The Whigs deserve more than a little care—really, they demand it; and (2) the same Mr. Floppy Walkie-Talkie returned just before DBT took the stage to eat his words on the photography statement.
Two top-notch Georgia bands stormed Beantown on Saturday, leaving in their wake supreme satisfaction and the most horrific of hangovers (I imagine). And more than a few new fans. The Whigs, three guys that proved to be “just what the doctor ordered,” the perfect pallet preparation for what was to come, hit their stride early and left no less than ten gallons of sweat on stage. Their music is, for the most part, fast and full of unspent energy. Parker Gispert, lead vocal and guitar, and a Red Sox fan by default (anything to see NY lose, apparently!), alternated between dulcet tones and punk southern-rock growl, mouth threatening to swallow the mic and fingers flying across his guitar. Gispert put his whole body into the performance, lunging low in his khaki Carharts and seizing back and forth. Tim Deaux on bass paraded his way up and downstage Sergeant Pepper-style, bushy mutton-chops and tight blue t-shirt furthering his 70s rocker persona. Deaux joined Gispert to belt out a few choruses after which he steps back and resumes his mechanical marching. Drummer Julian Dorio is an animal. He skillfully thrashed around at the center of the stage, shaggy hair flying this way and that, wild eyes seeking his band members. Toward the end of their set, Gispert made his way across the stage to the keyboard and reluctantly settled himself. What followed were beautifully sweet rock melodies that highlighted the musical range and soul of this group. Gispert, unable to restrain himself, popped up and tickled the keys standing. What a fabulous find, The Whigs! Gracious and great, this reviewer highly recommends a listen.
A note: when going to a Drive By Truckers show, prepare yourself for an eclectic crowd: some folks sport camo hats (and go fishing in their free time); others wear polo shirts (and spend their father’s cash); some are over 40 (with three kids and a mortgage); some are pimply (and ignorant and recently celebrated their 21st). DBT, 2 fifths of Jack, and three shiny guitars— and, oh yes, the music!—unite this odd crew. One thing is certain: they—Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Shonna Tucker, John Neff, and Brad Morgan—are stunning performers. They sweat, they shout, they smile, they fall to their knees, they swing the long necks of their guitars out and over the audience, boy do they drink, they pace and jump and stay calm when glassy-eyed, sweater-clad fans haul themselves on stage, and laugh about the silly bastard at the end of the song. And simultaneously they cast and reel all present into the dark dichotomies of the southern United States through rock and roll songs that combine personal stories and musical talents. DBT celebrates the individuality of its members rather than forcing them to conform to the status quo, a choice that results in a blessedly varied sound.
The set at the Paradise was long, and transitions between songs were often seamless. The floor got sticky, the audience got hot and obnoxious, and in spite of violent tips and gulps of JD, DBT stayed on course, changing from electric Les Pauls to Epiphone to banjo. Philosophizing a bit, the golden, biting, warming JD stands tall as the band mascot, encapsulating in tones and words the persona of the music. At times hazy, the sting of a sharp guitar trill or desperate, vein-popping yell brought the scene back into focus to celebrate long, wordless interludes. The lighter those bottles got, the more Shonna nuzzled the back amps and the higher Hood reached his hands. Back from a quick pee break, DBT lit up and dusted off “Bulldozers and Dirt,” a song they’d last performed 6 months before. The title track of their new album, politely dedicated to the band’s producer, grew into a family-style sing along. Toward the end of the encore, “18 Wheels of Love,” a (questionably) true spoken/sung epic on Hood’s mother and her truck-driving, 300 pound lover, Chester, got the stoic, bespectacled fan to my left fist pumping the air—the music had broken through his self-conscious shell! Or, perhaps, he was cheering the image of Chester cruising across the lonely, open South, his woman and fluffy white pooch named Paris beside him.
he is amazing bro his style can not be touched....some people dont know what he is talking about caz u dont do what he does he is sickkk bra
by dylyn on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 11.59 am from the entry: Wiz Khalifa: Burn After Rolling (Mixtape)
Wow,Great post.Thanks for sharing with us. land wi
by wisconsin land on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 09.53 am from the entry: of Montreal + Gang Gang Dance - Orpheum Theatre (Boston, MA; Oct. 30, 2008)
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
Ok...ok. Went last weekend for Sara Bareillis. Didn’t bother getting there too early, since I am 26 now, and beyond my waiting-out-in-the-cold-to-get-up-close days.. but.. I kind of wish I had.Got there around showtime. It was packed everywhere, the only place we could find to stand was in the back by the bar, and between the large pole in the middle of the floor and the tall guys in front of me, I think I saw her face maybe 5 times the whole night… (this sucks...). Also, the entire venue has a pretty grimy feel to it. Trust me, I get the whole rock n roll thing, but it is no longer the grunge era, and cleaning is cool now that its 2009 and not 1996....The bar downstairs doesn’t take credit cards, only the one upstairs, but I didn’t want to go upstairs, so mooching off friend for beer. Bar is in a terrible spot, right where people need to walk by, because the crowd was backed all the way up to it.The bathrooms are too far away from the main venue area.. maybe they were trying to get it halfway between that and the front, I don’t know...!!