Saturday night in Athens, GA, Moonshine Still played a phenomenal show to a packed crowd of 706 connoisseurs of incredible live music. This six-piece outfit writes great original songs, and the crowd was treated to two sets full of top-notch new material, familiar favorites and unpredictable covers. Such is the recipe for a great show from this central Georgia band who draws loyal fans and curious first-timers out of the woodwork everywhere they go. More than a local phenomenon, these guys are starting to make a name for themselves everywhere they play. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to catch them yet, make plans to do so soon.
“Fun” started things off. The crowd hustled to get the best spots down front as the opener got things off on the right foot. Scott’s voice sounded great and the whole band seemed ready for a great show. Next came “Mr. Reed” a new original song with an almost Cajun feel to it and a syncopated rhythm that the crowd immediately started dancing to. Trippe and David each had nice solos, foreshadowing the interplay between the two that adds so much to Moonshine’s sound.
“The Carpet Cleaners” was a crowd favorite and several folks sang along, especially with the “MMMMM MMMMM MMMM” verse representative of a mouth full of hair pie. Always sure to please the ladies, several girlie screams accompanied the final verse.
Bill’s twinkling chimes were a nice segue into the next tune, “Cotton Street,” a spacey, faster original jam with great keyboard and bass parts. David really started to rip this one up while Bill’s highlights on auxiliary percussion added finesse to the slower, trance like parts. Very cool song. The band was watching each other for subtle cues and was really together. Ray’s bass and a spinning strobe had the crowd enchanted.
“The Great Deceiver,” another crowd favorite, saw an increase in the traffic away from the bar as more and more folks squeezed in an already tight section right in front of the stage. This jam is a good example of the quality Moonshine Still originals. It showcases each member of the band, including Scott’s soulful voice. David was out front, but the rhythm section drives this song.
Changing things up, the band went into a Talking Heads cover, “Nothing But Flowers.” Few people recognized it as such, but they were all enjoying it. Bill and Will started things off with fast paced percussion to which the crowd started dancing harder. Scott joined in and danced onstage himself.
“Trash” came next ushering in the heat. The temperature in the crowd was almost as hot as the action on stage. Everyone in the crowd was sweating as they continued to dance, driven by the music. Some dialogue followed and the band dedicated the next song to Derek, whose birthday it was. “Wonderful Tonight” with personalized lyrics accompanied a birthday cake complete with lit candles that meandered through the crowd up to a surprised Derek behind the soundboard.
Closing the first set, the guys broke out “Marc Nash Funk,” but instead of the fast, hard version, this was a slower, super-funk version with Ray laying down a funked-out bass line. David was wailing away and Bill’s intricate contributions backed Mr. Shore’s skills on display with the slow funk. They wrapped up this great original running through the last phrase at the standard tempo and left the crowd wanting more of the FUNK!
Backstage, the band was gearing up for another killer set with even more energy. Re-fueled and sincerely grateful for the packed house, they came back out in no time.
Another new original started off the second set: “Shifty Shoeshine.” A slower tune, this new song gave the band a chance to settle back into the groove that had dominated the first set, but they were about to turn things up a notch. The crowd wasted no time in rushing back down front as thirsty patrons abandoned lines at the bar for a the best dance locale. The jam continued as the band went directly into “Pyramid,” another prime example of an outstanding Moonshine original. It was really smooth. The band was comfortable on familiar ground and really seemed to find their mark. Spacey sounds and gentle red hues transfixed the crowd into one swaying entity. It smelled like good bud down front. Trippe’s cosmic keyboards and David’s guitar pushed the vibe, the crowd and the music further and further. Ray and Will brandished the rhythm section like an engine. Green lights held the awesome energy that had eyes closed in the crowd and onstage as the music unified a consciousness. This is what music, and Moonshine Still, is all about. Eventually they slipped out of the jam and finished the song to the cheers of a grateful, genuinely moved audience. A few thankful words marked the shared emotion of the of the song and the band went into a song they hadn’t played in over a year and a half, “Scarlet.” After that, another crowd favorite, “Nightcap at the Laundromat” pumped the dancers back up.
Pausing to address the crowd, David dedicated the next song to his mother who was in attendance that night. “Bennie and the Jets” was a showcase for Trippe’s impressive piano abilities and marked his singing debut, which stole the show. The crowd ate it up and sang along the whole time. The band went directly into “Bimbobliawae,” and continued the keyboard heavy groove.
“Shoofly” got the crowd jumping again as everyone recognized this Moonshine Still original familiar to the growing fan base that supports these guys where ever they go. Scott’s voice sounded great with Will’s harmonies. These two sing well together and it contributes to their great sound as a band. Bill had an awesome conga solo that set everyone off! They jammed right into the heavy-metal-esque “MTV” another new original, followed by “Weapons or Words,” yet another great new original.
The band wrapped up the set with “Naked and Free” another familiar original that is always a crowd pleaser. After such an incredible show, it was unclear what the band could do to complete what was already an incredible night.
The answer came in the form of a Beatles cover, “Hey Bulldog.” Will came out hard on the signature “Hey Bulldog” drum riff and the band more than did the song justice. Exhausted and satiated, the crowd slowly wandered out. All the band members came back out, shook hands and thanked individuals in the crowd. The band members are all down-to-earth and really grateful to the folks that continue show support, turning out in larger numbers with each consecutive show.
Stephen West
JamBase | Athens, GA
Go See Live Music!
SetI: Fun, Mr. Reed*->The Carpet Cleaners, Cotton St., The Great Deceiver, Nothing but Flowers#, Trash, Wonderful Tonight^, Marc Nash Funk
SetII: Shifty Shoeshine*, Pyramid, Scarlet, Nightcap at the Laundromat, Beenie and the Jets@-> Bimbobliawae, Shoofly-> MTV*, Weapons or Words*, Naked and Free
E: Hey Bulldog
*New original
#Talking Heads cover
^sung to Derek Babb (the sound mantis) for his birthday.
Lyrics were changed for his birthday!
@Trippe's singing debut
| 
