X

Concert Review

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Zo

 

Dawes

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Zo

 

Joe Pug

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X 

Review by Paul LaTour/Photos by Andrew Smith

Zo

About midway through the Drive-By Truckers show at the Congress Theater on Saturday night, during the song “A World of Hurt,” co-frontman Patterson Hood shouted the line, “It’s fucking great to be alive.”

That was a pretty good summation of the final night of the fourth annual Chicago Blues and Bluegrass Festival, which the Truckers headlined. In their first Chicago appearance since bassist Shonna Tucker left the band, the Truckers sprinted to an energetic start with “Lookout Mountain,” followed by an even speedier version of “Get Downtown” than the one appearing on their 2010 release, The Big To-Do.

The Truckers missed Tucker’s personality, backing vocals and her occasional lead singer contributions, but the band survived the loss of Jason Isbell and will no doubt survive Tucker’s departure. Producer David Barbe filled in on bass.

Saturday’s set eventually slowed down considerably as Hood chose some of his slower tunes to perform, which included “A World of Hurt.” He also threw in the beautifully, mellow “Santa Fe,” and “Mercy Buckets.” Thankfully, it didn’t get too mellow as Mike Cooley alternated songs with Hood in their customary way. While Hood steered toward the introspective, Cooley countered with “Carl Perkins’ Cadillac,” “Women Without Whiskey,” and “Marry Me,” to keep the pace moving.

The two-song encore of “Zip City” and “Let There Be Rock” didn’t bring any surprises – in fact, the entire set was devoid of any real surprises. Still, it was good enough to remind me that, yes, it is fucking great to be alive.

By the end the crowd had thinned considerably. Earlier the Congress was brimming with folks there to catch Dawes, the current “it” band from Los Angeles. I’ll admit when a band gets as much attention as Dawes received in 2011, I immediately look for reasons to dislike it. I found some during the early stages of Dawes’ 80-minute set. They opened with a strong, “Fire Away,” from their critically acclaimed 2011 release, “Nothing is Wrong.” But the next few songs didn’t strike me as special. Part of that is the 1970s Jackson Browne vibe Dawes carries. I like Browne just fine, but that music sounds better on a summer day while gathered with friends around a beach fire at sundown.

Still, Dawes shined on “When My Time Comes,” from their 2009 debut, North Hills. I understand why the Coachella types fell in love with Dawes, but I’m going to need to hear more before I’m ready to jump on board.

Chicago’s Joe Pug played a quick set prior to Dawes that was magnificent, though at times threatened to be drowned out by crowd chatter. Sitting in the balcony didn’t help, but I’ve never been to a venue where people’s conversations were so loud as to take away from the singer. It was clear most people were killing time waiting for Dawes, but if they’d bother to give Pug a listen they would have discovered what many already know – Joe Pug is the real deal. He sprinkled his 10-song set with a couple new songs and at least one remarkable cover, Joe Ely’s “All Just to Get to You.” He finished his night with stirring versions of “Hymn #101,” “Nation of Heat,” and “Speak Plainly, Diana.”



Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Zo 

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Zo 

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Z

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Zo 

 

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

XX

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Drive-By Truckers

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Dawes

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Dawes

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Dawes

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Dawes

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Joe Pug

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Joe Pug

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Joe Pug

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Joe Pug

January 28, 2012 @ Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

X

Go here to "Like" ChicagoConcertgoers.com on Facebook.

X

X

past reviews

X