The War on Drugs at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA ~ 10/16/2014
Written by Joe Whitlock
Photos by Luke Armstrong
The first Neo-Rockabilly hipster could have been an anomaly. Five jean jackets later and I started to wonder what kind of show I was in for. There was a pint of W.L. Weller burning a hole in my back pocket, so I liberated the bottle and took a quick slug before crossing the threshold of the old Atlanta church turned music haven now called the Tabernacle. I was there to bear witness to The War on Drugs.
I was neither burned nor struck by lightning when I set foot in the building, which led me to believe that only the gods of rock occupied the space these days. The audacious brass pipes of an organ once dedicated to traditional hymns now served as a glorious backdrop for the revelry of less traditional hims, hers, and everyone in between. As I crept along the edges of the gathering crowd, I was relieved to see all types of humans in all types of attire. There was no need to scramble last minute for a Canadian Tuxedo. In between modest pulls on my whiskey bottle I overheard some chatter about the band. I was coming in fresh, having neither seen nor heard them and was eager to get an idea of what to expect. One tall beardy fellow was telling his less vertically endowed and clean shaven compatriot that when he first heard the War on Drugs they reminded him of Tom Petty. Interesting, I thought. Would I be hearing the stripped down, earthy Mudcrutch version, or the polished folk tinged rock of said man and the Heartbreakers? Of course, that was just the opinion of one tall bearded gentleman, so I tried 
to keep my mind free from preconception. However, never underestimate the enlightenment one can attain upon achieving full follicle fecundity in the facial field. An immediate decision to maintain my desire for a world that truly appreciates alliteration was briefly put on hold for one quick jaunt downstairs and outside for a cigarette and it was time to hear some tunes.
When the band walked on stage I made note of a couple of things. First, the bass player (David Hartley), keyboardist (Robbie Bennett) and the saxophone player all had keyboards. Second, the lead singer/guitarist (Adam Granduciel) reminded me of a skinnier Eddie Vedder complete with jean jacket. I immediately gave a pass to the five guys from earlier. When the music started up I felt a distinct Folk-Rock vibe that reminded me ever so slightly of Neil Young. The feeling only intensified as one of the songs began ambiently with rough and soulful lyrics, before morphing into a straight up rager that kicked my endorphins up a notch. It was at that moment, while leaning in from the outskirts of the mass of devotees, that I decidedly dug it. A subtle, but meaningful shift had occurred. The eight o’clock cynic was now a ten-thirty toe-tapper. A head bobber even. Venue Security reminded me to keep a clear walkway, but I was nonplussed. I was running down the dream. Going wherever it leads. Or led, rather.
Previous sentences and opinions of the bewhiskered aside, this wasn’t Tom Petty. It wasn’t attempting to be. This was The War on Drugs. Their lyrics made me feel gritty, reflective, and robust. Their music was rooted, then soaring, then unabashedly jammed out. All of these adjectives found their way into my brain box on the patio of The Tabernacle as I considered my love/hate relationship with well rolled tobacco and brightly lit ferris wheels. Adjectives were just more readily available out there. Inside the show there was less of a need to describe what was taking place. The music, and the crowd, and the proverbial vibe took care of that in the loudest, most audible unspoken way possible.
And when I had ceased to concern myself with “keeping a clear walkway,” or “Venue Security,” I took a final dram from my pint and realized why The War on Drugs whispered to us as Dylan, or Petty, or Young. They understood the sincerity it requires to do real roots music justice and the passion needed to rock that shit out. They spoke from the heart and played from the gut. At the end of the night, as the encore played behind me, I sauntered down the steps with two new realizations; I might secretly want a jean jacket, and Americana is a tangible thing and that band damn sure played it.
Since a commonly accepted sentiment amongst the Widespread Panic community is “Never miss a Sunday show,” it seemed like October 12, 2014 was the perfect time to drive to Biloxi, MS. After hearing about excellent shows in Huntsville and Alpharetta, fans were ready to rock. The Biloxi show began with a bang with “Radio Child” and “Give”, and then dialed back a bit for “Ain’t No Use”. “Blue Indian” was melodic and had the crowd singing along about the “party going on, many spirits strong.” In “Diner”, the band was able to stretch out a bit, and “Ribs and Whiskey” was a crowd pleaser. The first set continued to bring some heat, with “All Time Low”, and the double cover “Ride Me High > Red Hot Mama”.
beyond, Kristy Lee brought her band Dirt Road Revival to BayFest, performing a rousing set which the audience adored. Amos Lee has amassed quite a fan base, and his band sounded great on songs like “Windows Are Rolled Down”. It was a treat to see him deliver “Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight” with sweet tenderness. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts have been rockin’ with rebellious delight since the 1980s, and she maintains her commanding stage presence and edgy voice to this day. In a different vein, All That Remains brought seriously heavy metal to the stage, with headbanging intensity, thrashing guitars, speedracing drums, and the deep growls from bassist Jeanne Sagan; I still am amazed this petite woman can growl like that!
Says”), the band did “Been Caught Stealing” and “Ain’t No Right” from Ritual de lo Habitual. For the show-stopping climax, two scantily clad ladies danced on the stage, while two more were hoisted above the stage to provide aerial acrobatic dancing; and the electrifying “Stop!” ensued, putting an exclamation point on a fantastic show! Meanwhile, classic funkmasters The Roots had begun a non-stop dance party at the Miller Lite Stage. The Roots consistently play high-energy dance-driven shows, and are a band Mobile was lucky to have join the BayFest lineup. To close out the evening, Kid Rock drew a huge crowd, and performed hits spanning his musical career and styles, to the enjoyment of his fans.
PHOTO GALLERIES
Pete Yorn is back in Indiana again. This time, it’s Tuesday, October 7th in the Deluxe Room (at the Old National Centre). I saw him a few years back, in 2010 or 2011, at the Bluebird in Bloomington, and that was a good show. He had his full band with him, then. This is a more intimate affair. It’s an all-acoustic set. Only Pete, and a bunch of people waiting to see, and hear, him do what he does best.
When Pete hits that stage, he does so like a laid-back rocker, shaggy hair, flannel shirt, jeans, and boots. The crowd, as one would expect, erupts. A hippie girl, who I’ve been standing next to, and speaking with, and will later be dancing with a bit, is grinning to outshine the sun. She’s already told me how lucky I was to see Pete with his full band, but I can already tell that this crowd is in for a treat. I think most of them know it, too. The second song of the night, Pete plays “For Nancy,” which is great, and I always recognize. The whole crowd is singing it right back to him as he plays. That’s something I love to see at a show, and I’m sure the artists do, as well. It’s got to feel good.
Throughout the night, despite the small venue, which lends itself to storytelling in between songs, Pete keeps up the pace. A lot of his songs are fast-paced, anyway, and without the full band behind him, he’s able to just dive right into the next one. No external communication is needed. He only needs what’s in his heart and in his head. That’s part of the beauty of the solo, acoustic set. The set list is a good mix of familiar tracks, deep cuts, and a few covers. Including a great rendition of “Splendid Isolation” by Warren Zevon and a fun cover of “Kiss Off” by the Violent Femmes. It’s a great night I’d do it again, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
The set list (seen in the picture) was truly accommodating to the atmosphere of the room and we wish The Head and the Heart a quick return to the port city. We want to thank Steve Hall Productions, WZEW 92.1, and the Soul Kitchen for presenting such a fantastic evening of music!
