MuzzleOfBees.com Review
By: Ryan Matteson - muzzleofbees.com

Another great evening at the Pabst Theater last night. Going into the performance I had some reservations that it couldn’t possibly match the Drive-By Truckers last stop at the same venue, but by the time all the empty PBR cans were accounted for I have no problem stating this show topped the previous.

In truth, part of what made the evening so special was watching The Felice Brothers perform their storied tales of adding whiskey to their whiskey and long-forgotten welterweights to a crowd that, for the most part, had no idea who they were prior to their set. By the time the lights went down and the Truckers hit the stage with their bottle of Jack Daniels, people were scrambling back to their seats with Felice Brothers records in their hands. Indeed a perfect bill with a lot of people going home with a new favorite.

Starting their set with a couple of the acoustic driven selections from their most recent album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, the Truckers decided to gently warm the crowd before unleashing a fury of fist-pumping rock and roll that, and I’m only guessing here, left many people wishing they could hit the snooze button just one more time. The songs off Brighter Than Creation’s Dark have completely won me over after my initial questioning of its length and lighter numbers. The set list solidified that while Patterson Hood may remain the de facto leader of the group, he’s comfortable enough to stand aside and really let Mike Cooley and Shonna Tucker shine on their penned selections, many of which, especially after last night, have become favorites of mine across their entire catalog. The energy of “3 Dimes Down” was one of the main highlights off the new record, delivered with urgency that drove many the crowd around me to the near brink of insanity - plenty of air guitar.

It’s always true that seeing a band live can resurrect an album. It’s also true that seeing a band live reminds you just why you like them in the first place. My favorite track “Let There Be Rock” from Southern Rock Opera appeared during the encore and hours later still has me smiling, ear to ear, just as I did the first time I played that record thinking, this song nails what seeing live music is all about and all the memories that you retain from the shows you see.

Thanks to the Pabst for another great night, we’re already looking forward to our next time together. Don’t miss your chance to see the Drive-By Truckers this tour, they’re really playing the best I’ve heard them.