Throughout the course of twelve studio albums, Drive By Truckers have proved themselves to be a heavy load of noise when it comes to this thing called rock and roll. But nothing really prepares you for the thunderous rumble of their live show. Puns aside, witnessing DBT live is like facing an eighteen wheeler on a Southern highway, as it revs its engines towards you. You are faced with a three pronged attack of guitars lifted by a backing of bass, drums and the odd keyboard/organ part. Its nothing short of stupendous, and can make you stand in awe at the sheer power of it all.
Hitting these shores on the back of new album English Oceans, this third show once again had a completely new setlist from the previous two nights. The band delveed into their catalogue with aplomb, delivering a masterclass in Southern fried rock. Interchanging between the Patterson Hood songs and the Mike Cooley songs, and with phenomenal backing from Mike Patton (bass), Jay Gonzales (guitar/keyboards) and Bob Morgan (drums), they hit the ground running with 'Birthday Boy', a song from the Big To Do album.
Swiftly following this with a sleazy 'Girls Who Smoke', they soon slipped into gear, and by 'Self Destructive Zones' they were cruising. It wasn't until new song 'Pauline Hawkins' that a change happened though. And as the bittersweet tale of a nurse who shuts herself off to life reached it's coda, Gonzales' piano signaled a feedback drenched end that rose to a tumultuous finish.
What is evident from the live show is that the songs take on a much more solid foundation. More expansive than their studio counterparts, this is in no small part due to the tightness of the band. Twenty years of playing together has made them a close knit unit, and amongst all the requisite rock poses there are little flashes of signals between band members to take on yet another solo or riff. It's a joy to behold and allows the band to play off each other in ways that the studio wouldn't allow.
The acoustic 'Natural Light' signaled a bit of a hoe down as the Truckers reached out to Nashville before a mindblowing 'The Night GG Allen Came To Town' introduced the story elements that they are so well known for. It also opened up the music from it's rock and roll foundation, letting a song like 'A Ghost of Most' breath in the cloying air.
The Ritz in Manchester is a sweaty venue, and it showed on the band who were absolutely dripping. This heat was further intensified after a run through of 'When He's Gone' turned into 'First Air of Autumn' and a brilliantly balmy 'Sink Hole'. When Cooley took to the mike to sing 'Space City' though, a hush fell over the crowd as he brought this heartbreaking song to life. It was one of the many highlights. and also served as a calm before the storm.
That storm broke with the jangling riff of 'Dead, Drunk and Naked', and once again that three pronged guitar attack was off as the song built to a climax of unforeseen proportions. Without a breath, they then burst into 'Guitar Man Upstair's which is pure giddiness in it's excitement. 'Lookout Mountain' increased the intensity in what is an unbelievable part of the show - you could literally feel the heat of the South rising amongst all the sweat and Skynyrd type guitars. It goes to show how intense it gets as 'Shit Shots Count', a riotous Stonesy blues type rocker, was treated as a comedown from the preceding heavier material.
That intensity was ratcheted up even further for final song of the main set, 'Hell No, I Ain't Happy'. The drawling lyrics of Hood came to a climax on each chorus as the houselights lit up and the crowd screamed the words back at the band. You could feel the South rising again as the band cavorted around on stage, shifting from shadows to a full on, front of stage attack. The rising chords signaled yet another solo - breathtakingly good, this could potentially top my 'best end to a gig' list ever.
Of course, there's always the encores, and DBT did not skimp as they came out all guns blazing with 'Women Without Whiskey'. This was followed by a rare appearance for 'Steve McQueen' following a request from the audience - which consequently saw the band in fits of giggles as the words were shouted back to Hood, only for him to forget the lines. It was this enjoyment of what they were doing that levied all the intense moments - you could feel that the band live and breath this music.
'Where The Devil Don't Stay' drove the crowd into further raptures, and then unfortunately it really was time for the show to end. One last song saw us off, and what a song it is. Dedicated to a close friend, 'Grand Canyon' is the epic closer on English Oceans. In the live arena, this song becomes a colossal ode to Americana. The emotion literally drips off every word. At it's final denouement, when we all lifted our glasses to the great Grand Canyon, the coda kicked in and Gonzales took the solo. One by one, the band slowly walked off - Hood first to cheers, leaving the band playing. Cooley walked off to roars of approval, whilst the rest carried on playing. Gonzales dropped his guitar abruptly, and walked off leaving just Patton and Morgan alone to carry the rhythm as the feedback erupted from the speakers. Patton lifted his bass and walked off. We were left with Morgan pounding out the beat on an empty stage until finally he walked off. It was quite simply the best end to a gig that I have ever witnessed.
There's a saying about DBT that once you have heard one album, you get addicted and buy the rest. What the live show does is cement this addiction further, but also converts you to the true power of rock and roll. They are one of the best bands, if not THE best band, you will ever see live. And with their catalogue, who knows how many more classic gigs are in them. Even if you only have a slight inclination towards DBT do yourselves a favour and next time they are in town...get yourself to the rock show.
