The Neighbor Rodeo: Scott Metzger Guests At Western-Themed Halloween Concert

Neighbor presented “The Neighbor Rodeo” on Halloween at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont to start a three-show run with LaMP. The Boston-based jam quartet donned western gear, debuted four classic country covers and welcomed LaMP guitarist Scott Metzger for the final song of their extended set.

The band consisting of keyboardist Richard James, drummer Dean Johnston, bassist Dan Kelly and guitarist Lyle Brewer played several originals among the cover debuts. Western movie samples were also worked into the mix.

Neighbor set the mood from the start by opening with Don Rich’s instrumental country gem “The Happy-Go-Lucky Guitar,” which they had performed once prior back in March. A sequence linking originals “Carmelita” and “Steel” followed complete with Western movie samples. Next up was the band’s first-ever performance of Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire.” More samples came amid the subsequent “One For The Hoop,” which gave way to a rare cover of The Flecktones’ instrumental “Big Country.”

The lengthy frame moved forward with the recently premiered original “Crossing Lines.” Neighbor then unveiled their take on the Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson-popularized “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” From there, a pairing of “Granddaddy Said > UFO” paved the way for the Neighbor debut of George Jones’ “Why Baby Why.” Finally, after the ensuing “Chicken,” the quartet brought out Metzger to add his guitar to a set-closing “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It.” The latter, the evening’s final debut, was a hit for Hank Williams in 1949.

Richard James began the encore with a solo “White Flag.” The rest of the band returned to punctuate the show with Dave Dudley’s “Six Days On The Road.”

Stream audio via the link below and check out photos from The Neighbor Rodeo:

Setlist (via NeighborTunes.net)

Set: The Happy-Go-Lucky Guitar, Carmelita > Steel[1], Ring of Fire[2], One For The Hoop[3] > Big Country, Crossing Lines, Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys[4], Granddaddy Said[5] > UFO, Why Baby Why[6], Chickens, My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It[7]

Encore: White Flag[8], Six Days on the Road

Footnotes:

• [1] Western movie samples. Woody (Toy Story) and “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us” quotes.
• [2] First time played (Johnny Cash).
• [3] John Wayne (The Cowboys) quote and Western movie samples.
• [4] First time played (Ed and Patsy Bruce).
• [5] Western movie samples. Misirlou (Dick Dale) tease.
• [6] First time played (George Jones).
• [7] First time played (Hank Williams). Scott Metzger on guitar.
• [8] Ricky solo

Show Notes: The Happy-Go-Lucky Guitar was preceded by western movie samples and a John Wayne quote from the movie “The Cowboys.” Lyrics to Carmelita were changed to “a high roller named Scott.” Lyrics to Chickens changed to “Cowboys hungry, there’s no more food.”