Hank Done it This Way

Son Volt
40 Watt Club
Athens, GA
11/19/09




It takes a really special band to make me even consider driving all the way to Athens on a weeknight and endure the inevitable hell that the next day is certain to be. Son Volt, however, is definitely that special of a band. When all was said and done, I didn't get back to my house until 2:30 in the morning on Friday, and at that point I had a hard time falling asleep because of the large coffee I guzzled on the way back to prevent me from passing out behind the wheel. I had a miserable Friday at work, slugging through it like a zombie and avoiding human contact as much as I possibly could. But goddamn, it was worth it.

I got to Athens a little before 6 PM on Thursday, and that gave me time to check out some gear at Music Exchange before they closed. After that I killed a few drinks in the Flicker Bar (my favorite bar in Athens, for sure). Then, it was off to dinner with some friends, and a couple of friends of friends, who incidentally turned out to be Son Volt's rhythm section, Andrew Duplantis and Dave Bryson. I resisted the urge to go all fanboy on them, and I just kind of enjoyed the fact that I was sitting down to a meal with two members of one of my favorite bands. Suffice it to say that they were both extraordinarily nice and personable fellows, and it's always good to meet musicians that you look up to and have them not turn out to be total dickheads. After dinner it was time to head back to catch the opening act, and I couldn't help but feel like my night was already made. If the show was even remotely good, that just would have been gravy.

The one downside to going to shows in Athens is that they tend to start late. In this instance, the doors weren't until 9 PM, and opening act Peter Bruntnell didn't take the stage until 10 PM. Fortunately, it was well worth the wait. Bruntnell is a stellar singer/songwriter with great songs, a nice voice and he's quite skilled with the acoustic guitar. He's also an extraordinarily charming chap, and his stage banter was worth the price of admission by itself. He played about half of his set by himself, a few songs with Son Volt's lead guitarist, James Walbourne, accompanying him, and the last few songs with Walbourne, Duplantis and Bryson backing him. I picked up a copy of his most recent CD, Peter and the Murder of Crows. It's really good stuff, kind of like English Americana if I had to define, and I'd highly recommend checking it out.

Son Volt took the stage around 11:15 PM and it turned out to be a unique experience. I'm used to seeing them at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta; they play there every year to a sold-out or close to sold-out crowd of 1,500 or so. The 40 Watt seemed like way too small of a venue for this band to be playing, but nobody, including the band, seemed to mind. The band was actually much looser than I was used to, but given the fact this was a show at a small, intimate club, coupled with the late start and the several drinks I'd already knocked back made it work so perfectly. It was a venue appropriate show, to say the least. They rocked it out for over 90 minutes, tearing through a good portion of American Central Dust, and a diverse range of songs from all of the other Son Volt albums.

The band was on point once again. Bryson and Duplantis had already been rapidly moving their way up my list of favorite rhythm sections, and now they're pretty damn close to the top. I'd love it if this current lineup of the band doesn't change, but I would be downright upset if either one of these two split or got the axe. Mark Spencer was right on with the pedal steel and keys, just like always. If it were possible to steal the show away from Jay Farrar, James Walbourne would have done so. The first time I saw him with the band was only his second appearance with them on this tour. I was plenty impressed then. Now that he's actually had time to learn the songs, and get some more gigs with this incarnation of the band under his belt, I'm ready to anoint him as the absolute best country guitarist I've ever seen.

Walbourne's stellar playing aside, it's actually not possible to steal the show from Jay Farrar. Jay is the show. Jay is one of my ten favorite singers of all time, regardless of genre. And while he isn't out there doing leg kicks and playing his Gretsch with his teeth, that doesn't prevent him from being an extremely engaging front man. Actually, his calm and reserved presence suits his songs very well. This is one of many reasons why most people who go see Son Volt wind up going see them again the next time they come town.

When the set ended and it came time for the encore, they did not disappoint. After starting it with a song from American Central Dust, they played a brilliant version of "Windfall", and a cover of Doug Sahm's "I'm Not That Kat Anymore" that absolutely rocked my face off. As if that wasn't enough they came out and did a nearly six minute long rendition of Waylon Jenning's "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?", which someone captured with a video camera and posted on Youtube. It really starts to rock around the 4:00 mark.



And that was it. They could have kept playing, and I wouldn't have complained, but I'm kind of glad they quit right there. For the second time in a row that I saw them, they did not play "Drown". Although I wished they had played it, as it's a genre-defining song in my eyes, I did come to the conclusion that I would have been a bit more upset if they had played "Drown" and omitted "Windfall" from the set. All nit-picking aside, if Son Volt wants to play over 90 minutes, they can play whatever they damn well please, and I'll just shut up and enjoy it.

I need to point out one more observation that I've made over the last few months. If you would have told me in late '05 or early '06, when Wilco was in their YHF/A Ghost is Born period, had just added the amazing Nels Cline as their lead guitarist and released Kickin' Television that I would ever be more interested in what Jay Farrar is doing than what Jeff Tweedy is doing, I would have asked you if I could have some of what you were smoking. Alas, it's 2009, Wilco is making boring daddy-rock that puts me to sleep, and Jay is out there keeping it simple and leaving me wanting more. Times have changed, to say the least.

It looks like there is a brief West Coast engagement over the next couple of weeks, and then the band is done for the rest of the year. I sure hope a Son Volt album and lengthy tour is in the works for '10, because I'll do Athens and Atlanta again. I don't give a damn how sleep deprived I get. Give me my Son Volt fix now; I'll sleep when I'm dead.