Reverend Horton Heat, The Legendary Shack Shakers and Split Lip Rayfield at Exit/In 11-18-10
by Dave Sharp on Nov 22nd, 2010
It’s a treat when a show bill features similar, talented acts from top to bottom; opening locals to the established headliners. What’s now being called (by this reviewing committee of one) The Event on (sorry NBC) that occurred on Nov. 18 featured Reverend Horton Heat headlining and locals The Legendary Shack Shakers and Kansans Split Lip Rayfield in support. From kick off to final whistle, the show was raucous, energetic and kept the rockabilly, punk and black and bluegrass fans alert until 1 am.
Whispers about Split Lip Rayfield were buzzing before the show. People smoked outside trying to describe the bassist’s junkyard-concocted upright bass (made from the gas tank of 1965 Ford) and the flash-fast speed of their mandolin player. These three guys “from the Kansas” may have opened the show, but their string-instrument athleticism and fine-tuned harmonies were indicative of their decade-plus tenure. If that that gas tank was full of fuel, it surely would have caught fire.
Nashville needs no introduction to the Legendary Shack Shakers. In fact, “legendary” is a pretty apt term for the band, especially front-man J.D. Wilkes. He’s been acknowledged by the Nashville Scene, Jello Biafra and (on the night of The Event) Reverend Horton Heat as the best front man around. His energy combined with the pickin’ pace of and quality compositions of the rest of the Shack Shakers create the epitome of a psychobilly breakdown. Its how punk, bluegrass and rockabilly are ideally coalesced.
Although they’re an epithet of the true diversity of Nashville’s music scene, sightings are few and far between. That might be because they’re busy with other endeavors like Wilkes, who (more than) dabbles in film making and physical art. Here’s an introduction to his critically acclaimed documentary Seven Signs, which offers insight to their musical ideals:
Seven Signs: Music, Myth & The American South from Milk Products on Vimeo.
This tour marks 25 years for Reverend Horton Heat. A legacy like that calls for royal fanfare and that’s just how he entered: the PA blared entrance horns and the crowd honored with applause. The man looked royal on stage too, dawning a cactus-embroidered red coat and a gleaming white smile. All it took was a flick of the wrist and their music went into full-swing. It’s obvious they’re pros, it looked like they weren’t even trying.
I felt like I was at the adult table at a punk rock Thanksgiving. The musicianship was a graduated version of raw punk rock and the showmanship was fantastic. They played through highlights of all of their records in chronological order and brought out special guest Lynn Owsley — who famously played pedal steel with Ernest Tubb and is a proud product of Henersonville, Tenn. – to perform a few tracks, which climaxed with a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” Although not a Rev original, “Folsom Prison Blues” was the most fitting tune of the night: The Rev entertained the blue-collared crowd like Cool Hand Luke, Owsley showed his chops on the pedal steel solo and the passion for Cash’s music beamed from the musicians and audience alike.
For nearly three decades, the Rev has made a name by repackaging classics with authenticity and flaunting attitude, audible aptitude and creativity as the pillars of good music. Before I exited, I made sure to raise my PRB to the Rev and their next 25 years.
Reviewer: Dave Sharp