Staff Blog
The Hold Steady and the Drive-by Truckers, Nov. 8, Electric Factory
The Hold Steady lead singer Craig Finn didn’t talk much during his band’s
opening slot on Saturday’s Rock Means Well tour. He admitted that most
of his intra-song banter consisted of baseball talk, but with
the Phillies being world champions and all, there wasn’t much to
discuss. Instead, he talked about his hiatus from music following the
dissolution of his arty, yet unpretentious, Lifter Puller. But 2002
Drive-by Truckers show reminded him that, hey, this rockin’ out thing
looked like fun. If there was one thing both the Hold Steady and
Drive-by Truckers got across, it was that they are having the time of
their lives.
Finn has gotten his shit together since the last time I caught the Hold Steady, a couple years back. He looks better, he sounds better and his stamina is through the roof. Hardly stopping to take a breather, the Hold Steady blazed through their set. But it wasn’t Finn’s new, better shape that made him a better performer. Instead, it was his excellent use of the all-important hand clap:
Holding it down with three guitarists and a badass chick bassist,
the Drive-by Truckers fulfilled the “Holy shit, I bet this is sick
live” promise of their albums. “Where the Devil Won’t Stay,” from
2004’s The Dirty South, was a swirling guitar attack, with each six
slinger proving their individual mettle. Singer and guitarist Mike
Cooley praciticed a number of rock star poses, all the while a cig
dangling out his mouth. Patterson Hood, who also pulls double duty, led
the crowd in a barnstorming “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy,” off of 2003’s Decoration Day.
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But the highlight of the night came with the two bands’ encore
duet, packing the stage with musicians who all seemed to get a huge
kick out of the fact they get to do this every night and get paid.
Rather than filling the stage with sound, the two bands fed off each
other, ending with Neil Young’s “Rocking in the Free World.” Unlike
Young’s dumpster baby, everyone at the Electric Factory got to feel cool.
Click the jump for DBT cell pics from Marc Steel.
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badass chick bassist and mike cooley are tied for the title of new celebrity crush. and if bruce has taught us anything, it’s that hand claps always make everything better!