Black Diamond Heavies - 11/15 @ Star Bar
So I've had a few people comment to me about my thoughts on ending the concert blog (and almost all those in person) and it's pretty unanimous that everyone prefer I keep it going. Still haven't made up my mind, but then a show like this comes along that helps restore and renew my passion for music and I just might be able to keep it going for one more year. No guarantees yet though...
There were a couple of other good concert options this particular night, The Sword (whom I love) were playing over at the Masquerade and Del McCoury (whom I also quite enjoy) was playing over at Georgia Tech. But I decided on seeing the Black Diamond Heavies, because they really impressed me the two times I've seen them prior. And also sharing the bill with them were Dex Romweber Duo (from the Flat Duo Jets, a band I don't recall every getting a chance to see) and Pearlene (who also impressed me when I saw them open for somebody I can't remember over at the Earl), making it a pretty potent triple bill.
Unfortunately, when I got to the Star Bar I found out that Dex had canceled. Not sure why, but at least Pearlene were still playing. It had been awhile since I've been to the Star Bar, which was pointed out to me by both Joe the door guy and Adrian the bartender downstairs. Which made me realize it had been quite some time if the staff was taking note of my absence. But even so, ran into a bunch of the regulars like Bryan, Andy, Jett, Rotknee and Luis. Also ended up spending most of the time hanging out with Johnny McGowan, who jokingly accused me of "nesting." Dang, maybe I do need to get out more?
Since I arrived early enough not to miss Pearlene, I ended up seeing the band they added to replace Dex, which was Abby GoGo (I think that was their name). A bunch of young kids who played this shoegazer styled garage rock that reminded me a bit of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but nowhere as good. And also made me think that my friend Jordan would be way into these guys. They were OK, but the lead singer used this vocal echo effect almost their entire set and a little of that went a long way. So after awhile, they started to bore me and I headed to the downstairs bar to wait them out.
Then it was time for Pearlene. I remember I liked them enough the last time I saw them to buy a CD, so I was looking forward to seeing them again. They were a lot bluesier than I recalled, but it has been awhile since I've actually listened to them. But they are a really good live band. They would veer off into these extended Bluesy riffs, which made them seem a bit jammy but without sounding like a jam band. And by the amount of guys in other bands watching them, they're also quite the musician's band. People who play for a living usually don't waste their time watching crappy bands on their nights off, you know? So these guys definitely have the chops. And they once again impressed me enough to pick up the new CD they were touring behind. Thinking I should play their stuff more often.
And as I expected, the Star Bar was running late on a Saturday night, so the Black Diamond Heavies didn't go onstage about 1am, which was actually sooner than I had thought. So it wasn't going to be an early night by any means, but I wasn't going to be out as late either. Basically, the easiest description for Black Diamond Heavies is Swamp Rock. The kind of thing that you'd expect to hear on Fat Possum Records or what Creedence Clearwater Revival was doing in "Run Through The Jungle." They're just two guys, one on drums and the other on organ, but they are one of the most intense bands I've ever seen perform. They are what the White Stripes wished they were. And I wish more people knew about these guys, because they put on such an amazing show. But they're not a radio band and they're not going to get the chance to go on tour opening for anyone, because they'd seriously blow away anyone who followed them. They're that good. Johnny McGowan suggested that they go on a co-headlining tour with the Voodoo Organist, not that anyone knows who he is either. It would make for a great tour, don't get me wrong, but BDH would easily outshine him. So I guess, they're stuck in the shadows playing small clubs and making it by from show to show. Hey, as long as they keep playing and coming to Atlanta, I guess I can't really complain.
Again, you would be amazed at how much sound can be created by just two guys on stage. The drummer is top notch and the lead singer/organist is this guy who looks like Snake Plissken's brother, who plays like Jerry Lee Lewis and sounds like he's been drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes since he was about 10. And he's probably the only guy I've ever seen who can pull off wearing turquoise jewelry and not look like a complete tool. Not only that, they're the only band I can think of that can do a cover of Nina Simone's "Sinner Man" followed immediately by Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and make it work. They also did AC/DC's "Long Way To The Top" and Ray Charles' "Hard Times." Can you think of anyone else who might be able to pull all that off and do it spectacularly? Didn't think so.
So after about an hour and a half of a truly amazing show, they brought out the guys from Pearlene to join them on "Nutbush City Limits," a Tina Turner number I wasn't all that familiar with. The guy introduced the song by saying that "this one is for us, you just get to watch" and for the next 10 minutes or so, I witnessed a phenomenal live performance. Black Pearlene Heavies, as I jokingly referred to them to McGowan, was intense intensified. The guitars and bass of Pearlene truly added to the already explosive formula of organ and drums of the Black Diamond Heavies. The guys were so in synch that it seemed like they were all of one mind. You know they've played the song together before, but you could tell they always play it differently every night. It was so amazing to watch that I was hoping that someone somehow had bootlegged it so there would at least be a record of it. It was that good.
This will easily make it in my top 10 shows of the year. And if they ever come to your town...GO SEE THEM! DO IT. The have a couple of CDs out, but the recordings don't come anywhere near what their live shows are like. I mean it, go see the Black Diamond Heavies. Please, as a favor to me. And having seen such a spectacular show like this makes me think there's still life left in the old concert blog. Well, at least for the shows that are worthy of writing about.
There were a couple of other good concert options this particular night, The Sword (whom I love) were playing over at the Masquerade and Del McCoury (whom I also quite enjoy) was playing over at Georgia Tech. But I decided on seeing the Black Diamond Heavies, because they really impressed me the two times I've seen them prior. And also sharing the bill with them were Dex Romweber Duo (from the Flat Duo Jets, a band I don't recall every getting a chance to see) and Pearlene (who also impressed me when I saw them open for somebody I can't remember over at the Earl), making it a pretty potent triple bill.
Unfortunately, when I got to the Star Bar I found out that Dex had canceled. Not sure why, but at least Pearlene were still playing. It had been awhile since I've been to the Star Bar, which was pointed out to me by both Joe the door guy and Adrian the bartender downstairs. Which made me realize it had been quite some time if the staff was taking note of my absence. But even so, ran into a bunch of the regulars like Bryan, Andy, Jett, Rotknee and Luis. Also ended up spending most of the time hanging out with Johnny McGowan, who jokingly accused me of "nesting." Dang, maybe I do need to get out more?
Since I arrived early enough not to miss Pearlene, I ended up seeing the band they added to replace Dex, which was Abby GoGo (I think that was their name). A bunch of young kids who played this shoegazer styled garage rock that reminded me a bit of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but nowhere as good. And also made me think that my friend Jordan would be way into these guys. They were OK, but the lead singer used this vocal echo effect almost their entire set and a little of that went a long way. So after awhile, they started to bore me and I headed to the downstairs bar to wait them out.
Then it was time for Pearlene. I remember I liked them enough the last time I saw them to buy a CD, so I was looking forward to seeing them again. They were a lot bluesier than I recalled, but it has been awhile since I've actually listened to them. But they are a really good live band. They would veer off into these extended Bluesy riffs, which made them seem a bit jammy but without sounding like a jam band. And by the amount of guys in other bands watching them, they're also quite the musician's band. People who play for a living usually don't waste their time watching crappy bands on their nights off, you know? So these guys definitely have the chops. And they once again impressed me enough to pick up the new CD they were touring behind. Thinking I should play their stuff more often.
And as I expected, the Star Bar was running late on a Saturday night, so the Black Diamond Heavies didn't go onstage about 1am, which was actually sooner than I had thought. So it wasn't going to be an early night by any means, but I wasn't going to be out as late either. Basically, the easiest description for Black Diamond Heavies is Swamp Rock. The kind of thing that you'd expect to hear on Fat Possum Records or what Creedence Clearwater Revival was doing in "Run Through The Jungle." They're just two guys, one on drums and the other on organ, but they are one of the most intense bands I've ever seen perform. They are what the White Stripes wished they were. And I wish more people knew about these guys, because they put on such an amazing show. But they're not a radio band and they're not going to get the chance to go on tour opening for anyone, because they'd seriously blow away anyone who followed them. They're that good. Johnny McGowan suggested that they go on a co-headlining tour with the Voodoo Organist, not that anyone knows who he is either. It would make for a great tour, don't get me wrong, but BDH would easily outshine him. So I guess, they're stuck in the shadows playing small clubs and making it by from show to show. Hey, as long as they keep playing and coming to Atlanta, I guess I can't really complain.
Again, you would be amazed at how much sound can be created by just two guys on stage. The drummer is top notch and the lead singer/organist is this guy who looks like Snake Plissken's brother, who plays like Jerry Lee Lewis and sounds like he's been drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes since he was about 10. And he's probably the only guy I've ever seen who can pull off wearing turquoise jewelry and not look like a complete tool. Not only that, they're the only band I can think of that can do a cover of Nina Simone's "Sinner Man" followed immediately by Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and make it work. They also did AC/DC's "Long Way To The Top" and Ray Charles' "Hard Times." Can you think of anyone else who might be able to pull all that off and do it spectacularly? Didn't think so.
So after about an hour and a half of a truly amazing show, they brought out the guys from Pearlene to join them on "Nutbush City Limits," a Tina Turner number I wasn't all that familiar with. The guy introduced the song by saying that "this one is for us, you just get to watch" and for the next 10 minutes or so, I witnessed a phenomenal live performance. Black Pearlene Heavies, as I jokingly referred to them to McGowan, was intense intensified. The guitars and bass of Pearlene truly added to the already explosive formula of organ and drums of the Black Diamond Heavies. The guys were so in synch that it seemed like they were all of one mind. You know they've played the song together before, but you could tell they always play it differently every night. It was so amazing to watch that I was hoping that someone somehow had bootlegged it so there would at least be a record of it. It was that good.
This will easily make it in my top 10 shows of the year. And if they ever come to your town...GO SEE THEM! DO IT. The have a couple of CDs out, but the recordings don't come anywhere near what their live shows are like. I mean it, go see the Black Diamond Heavies. Please, as a favor to me. And having seen such a spectacular show like this makes me think there's still life left in the old concert blog. Well, at least for the shows that are worthy of writing about.