Drive-By Truckers | 10.28 | Maryland
By Team JamBase Nov 13, 2007 • 12:00 am PST

Drive-By Truckers :: 10.28.07 :: Ram’s Head Live :: Baltimore, Maryland
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Baltimore was the Drive-By Truckers’ last stop on their ambitious “The Dirt Underneath” tour, which featured all-acoustic sets spotlighting new material for Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (out January 22, 2008), as well as providing a chance to hear the raucous electric guitar stomp that drives their sound pared down and more exposed. Unfortunately, an acoustic rock gig often follows the MTV Unplugged model of quieter, simpler versions of a band’s popular songs. But, even within the limitations of MTV, bands can transcend this model, with Nirvana and Alice in Chains being the most obvious examples. Pre-MTV, Led Zeppelin’s mid ’70s shows featured acoustic sets that were as electrifying in their beauty as the amped sets were in their brutality (check out the Earls Court set on the official DVD). However, it is difficult for bands to rock the hell out of a stage and translate the raw energy of their sound on acoustic instruments. There is a certain formality implied in the word “acoustic” (unless we are talking bluegrass) that brings to mind numbered seats and bow-tied ushers checking ticket stubs with tiny flashlights.
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The Ram’s Head in Baltimore has no barrier between the audience and the band and by the time the Truckers took the stage the front two inches were littered with empty shot glasses, scrunched up Bud Light cans and boxes of Marlboro Reds. “I was thinking I’m gonna have to dig deep tonight,” Patterson Hood said as he surveyed the crowd before launching into opener “The Living Bubba,” concluding, “But y’all provided the answer.” Hood and Mike Cooley led the current lineup, which includes legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham, through a nearly two-hour set and a forty-minute encore. The Truckers were clearly honored to have Oldham along for the ride. In a moment both moving and timeless, halfway through the main set, Oldham performed his classic “I’m Your Puppet.”
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The encore started with a new Shona Tucker sung number called “I’m Sorry Huston,” her voice draping the slightest, lovely country lilt over a well of raw grit. Let’s hope she sings more leads in the future. As the handle of Jack was passed around, Hood said it was, “His favorite tour ever in the history of this band.” After a stirring “World of Hurt,” Baltimore singer-guitarist Rodney Henry strolled onstage. Hood put down the guitar, picked up the Jack and leaned over into the audience to sing “Buttholeville” > “State Trooper” > “Buttholeville.” The stage set-up broke down as the band wailed on their instruments and Hood left his chair to dance, scream the lyrics and pass the Jack around to lucky fans in the front row. By the time the audience was jumping and pumping fists to Jim Carroll’s “People Who Died,” frantically attempting to get shots from Hood, Cooley was standing near the edge of the stage shredding his guitar. It was a great collective roar as the monster on the stage met the monster on the floor, soaking the whole beast with whiskey in a kinetic burst of energy that had the whole place moving and buzzing well after the Truckers disappeared backstage.
That buzz carried me into the Ram’s Head bar next door, where I watched my beloved Red Sox win their second World Series. My heart went to New England, but my mind was traveling south. As I watched Jason Varitek run across the mound to hug Jonathan Papelbon I ordered myself a celebratory shot. As Cooley sings in “Carl Perkins’ Cadillac,” “Life ain’t nothing but a blending up of all the ups and downs.” Tonight, looking out on an empty bar celebrating my baseball team’s victory alone with my husband, both of us agreeing that tonight was one of the best gigs we had ever been to, things were looking pretty damn up.
Setlist:
The Living Bubba, Carl Perkins’ Cadillac, Home Front, Ghost to Most, Monument Valley, Uncle Frank, Putting People on the Moon, Space City, I’m Your Puppet, Tornadoes, Daddy’s Cup, My Sweet Annette, The Night G. G. Allen Came to Town, Lisa’s Birthday, Goodesfield Road, Where the Devil Don’t Stay
Encore: I’m Sorry Huston, Tails Facing Up, Gravity’s Gone, World of Hurt, Buttholevile > State Trooper > Buttholevile*, People Who Died*
*with Rodney Henry
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