This was the first officially released Drive-By Truckers DVD. It has music and interviews from the Dirty South release shows at the 40 Watt Club on August 27-28, 2004. The performances are excellent. The one problem with the concert footage is the production which is a little bit strange at times. Maybe Jonicont or someone else with live concert video experience could describe the effect that is going on there.
The backstage interviews are enjoyable too. One that I always think of is when a curtain is pulled back to reveal that Kurt Cobain wrote on the wall. Jason then quips that it is "the curtain Cobain." Another is Cooley's statement that "If you want to break up a band...practice."
The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you'll know that you're dreaming
Love this DVD. Especially the face-melting solos all around. It is a bit jarring when the shirts differ from song to song, but whatever. The liner notes by Jason are also a good read.
This DVD cemented my DBT fandom. I played it repeatedly at the time it came out and it represents the raw energy of that period. Looking at it today you can easily nitpick, I've heard things like Jason's harmonies were off (they were), the lighting was too dark (it was) and a few other criticisms, but why would you do that? The DVD is raw, fun and represents a really special time in the band's history and should be taken as such. To ape a phrase you often hear around deadheads, I like my live DBT warts and all. This one fits that mold and can described in two words; kick ass.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
THE live DBT for me. This dwarfs everything else to me as far as live shows. Not the actual being there but as far as live recordings...can't be beat in my opinion.
I've been told that when I like something I even like the things that should detract from it. I guess that's true because I've always loved the dark stage lighting. The shadowy stage gives it a spooky feel that's kind of cool to me. Okonokos is the same way and I love it too.
Jason's harmonies are...well they're too loud a lot of the time on that DVD and I love that too. I like that's its not all perfect and tight. That's what I love about that version of the band and it seems like we are getting some of that spirit back thank goodness. The most egregious example to me is on Women Without Whiskey. That version of that song is my absolute favorite but I laugh when it gets to the "Take me piece by piece..." line every time because Jason's "FROM MEEEEE" is just so over the top. He sounds like he really is trying to drown Cooley out. I've been told that it eventually really started getting on Cooleys nerves and that's understandable if tru.
I love the DVD. Love listening to the live recording. Played it Saturday night while me and a buddy rode dirt roads and he loved it too. I really like a lot of the commentary where it shows them sitting back stage.
For some reason, the DVD doesn't play on my DVD system, so I have only watched it on my lap-top. I have hacked my DVD-player to not care about region coding, and that works fine with other US DVD's in my collection, just not this one. Strange...
The songs are bein interrupted by a wedding ceremony, with Cooley acting as reverend. Wonder if he had his paper-work in order beforehand. Does anyone know who the couple are? For some reason I get the impression either the bride or groom are related to Shonna?
Curious to know if anyone on this board today that was present at these shows?
I love Jason's slide on several of the songs. Very raw and unhibited. A bit off the mark here and there, but as stated by others; that's part of the charm.
Cole Younger wrote: Jason's harmonies are...well they're too loud a lot of the time on that DVD and I love that too. I like that's its not all perfect and tight. That's what I love about that version of the band and it seems like we are getting some of that spirit back thank goodness. The most egregious example to me is on Women Without Whiskey. That version of that song is my absolute favorite but I laugh when it gets to the "Take me piece by piece..." line every time because Jason's "FROM MEEEEE" is just so over the top. He sounds like he really is trying to drown Cooley out. I've been told that it eventually really started getting on Cooleys nerves and that's understandable if tru.
I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but for being as good of an all around singer as he is, Jason is one of the worst harmony vocalists I've ever heard. I don't think he knows what to do if he's not singing the main melody line, so he just...yells. He sounds great when other people are harmonizing with him, though.
Harmony is an art form not easily mastered. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can harmonize. Makes me respect those who make it seem so effortless (CSNY, Simon & Garfunkel, Avett Brothers, etc. )
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
Zip City wrote:Harmony is an art form not easily mastered. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can harmonize. Makes me respect those who make it seem so effortless (CSNY, Simon & Garfunkel, Avett Brothers, etc. )
There are all sorts of different kinds of harmony singing. Keith Richards' harmonies with the stones are rough but spot on every time, ditto with Ron Wood when he harmonized with Rod Stewart in the Faces. I think Jason pulled off harmonies in DBT more often than not but when he missed you noticed. Harmonies don't have to be CSN pretty to work well.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
Zip City wrote:Harmony is an art form not easily mastered. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can harmonize. Makes me respect those who make it seem so effortless (CSNY, Simon & Garfunkel, Avett Brothers, etc. )
There are all sorts of different kinds of harmony singing. Keith Richards' harmonies with the stones are rough but spot on every time, ditto with Ron Wood when he harmonized with Rod Stewart in the Faces. I think Jason pulled off harmonies in DBT more often than not but when he missed you noticed. Harmonies don't have to be CSN pretty to work well.
FWIW, Shonna couldn't harmonize live either
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
Zip City wrote:Harmony is an art form not easily mastered. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can harmonize. Makes me respect those who make it seem so effortless (CSNY, Simon & Garfunkel, Avett Brothers, etc. )
There are all sorts of different kinds of harmony singing. Keith Richards' harmonies with the stones are rough but spot on every time, ditto with Ron Wood when he harmonized with Rod Stewart in the Faces. I think Jason pulled off harmonies in DBT more often than not but when he missed you noticed. Harmonies don't have to be CSN pretty to work well.
Zip City wrote:Harmony is an art form not easily mastered. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can harmonize. Makes me respect those who make it seem so effortless (CSNY, Simon & Garfunkel, Avett Brothers, etc. )
There are all sorts of different kinds of harmony singing. Keith Richards' harmonies with the stones are rough but spot on every time, ditto with Ron Wood when he harmonized with Rod Stewart in the Faces. I think Jason pulled off harmonies in DBT more often than not but when he missed you noticed. Harmonies don't have to be CSN pretty to work well.
FWIW, Shonna couldn't harmonize live either
Very occasionally she could which was disappointing because on records, BTCD especially, she had a gorgeous high harmony voice. Her part on the last line of The Opening Act is one of my favorite harmony vocals ever.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
When I really got into the Truckers and started paying attention at the shows it was Patterson's backing vocals on the Cooley tunes that really jumped out at me as intergral.. Something I otherwise wouldn't have picked up on listening to the albums.
I bought this DVD at my second DBT show in Charlottesville, VA. But I was already fully on board as a DBT fan. I like to watch this on Friday nights in the winter with a few martinis. Love the guitar work on Cottonseed, I'm thinking its Jason.
Keep your eyes peeled for yours truly. Didn't make it in the building, but did hang outside with the vinyl guy and camped out behind the 40 Watt and could hear a lil bit. I'm in one of the shots of the line into the 40 Watt. Around 2 on sat or sun morning (can't remember), my buddy and I ran into an extremely inebriated Mike Cooley on a lonely Athens street and got him to autograph our newly acquired Bad Company Straight Shooter (which he said was one of his favorite records). I remember worrying the drunken rock god Mike Cooley was going to get ran over as he stumbled his way down the street.
Tequila Cowboy wrote:There are all sorts of different kinds of harmony singing. Keith Richards' harmonies with the stones are rough but spot on every time, ditto with Ron Wood when he harmonized with Rod Stewart in the Faces. I think Jason pulled off harmonies in DBT more often than not but when he missed you noticed. Harmonies don't have to be CSN pretty to work well.
FWIW, Shonna couldn't harmonize live either
monitor location issues?
Where was the bass amp set up?
You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
- DPM
This DVD captures a period when the live shows were transcendent. Some of the people I let watch complained about the lighting, but it never bothered me.
On the topic of harmony singers, I always loved Howie Epstein's harmony vocals with Tom Petty. Such a beautiful voice for such a tortured soul. Scott Thurston does a really good job with Petty too. Also, I could listen to Joey & Kelly from Glossary harmonize all day long.
Patterson is a great harmony singer and an under-recognized lead guitarist. FWIW, Cooley isn't always the most on-key harmonizer either. The Jason "too loud" thing - background vocals that are too loud, especially consistently, are the responsibility of the guy mixing the sound (though toning down just a goddamn bit wouldn't have hurt Jason, and maybe he'd be better now a little older and not drunk).
On the topic of background vocals, Patterson and Shonna are the best. Cooley has some nice ones though: I'm Sorry Huston & Aftermath USA come to mind. Jason's; eh. Don't mind them being a bit off tune, but when they overpower Patterson's on Lookout Mountain, it's a little too much. Reminds me of Levon Helm's story about Robertson's vocals; many taped shows were ruined when his mike was left on. Don't know why JI's mike wouldn't at least be turned down on non-JI songs.
I was perusing the Amazon reviews for this album, and this one gave me a chuckle, especially the 40 watt joke:
By "The Dude"
Over the last year, I have become a huge DBT fan and have most of their CD's (including "Live at Austin.") Despite some tepid reviews seen here, it is no exagerration to say that it is one of THE best live concerts I have ever seen (in person or recorded). Let's get the downsides out of the way now: The lighting is mostly miserable. You feel that the club (the 40 Watt) got its name because the lighting consists of some guy in the rafter using a 40 watt bulb. The upside is that you can bet this was the same lighting the audience had to deal with, so at least the DVD gives you a "club feel." Also, on the strengths of the Austin and 40 Watt concerts, I think it's safe to say that Patterson Hood teeters on the edge of self-indulgence, occasionally leaping, not stumbling over (It's not like I'm not a fan of Hood's..his new solo disc is great). An example of this would be the choice and execution of their final encore song, the old Jim Carroll song: "These Are People Who Died". First, most of us who are familiar with the original, thought that Carroll, an acknowledge poet, decided he wanted to be a rock star and wrote songs like this. I don't mind covers, but pick a worthy one. Hood's repition of "they f@#&in' died" about 6 times was both annoying and self-indulgent. Patterson, we got it the first time. OK, the good stuff (and there's lots of it): Mike Cooley and Jason Isbell are the best guitar duo I have heard since Clapton and Allman during the "Layla" sessions. Equally gifted,in different. Although Cooley is spectactualar, Isbell is the star here. It's a credit to the band that they could sustain his loss (on guitar,vocals, and songwriting) and still be the superior band they are. Also, they are one of the tightest bands I've ever heard. It's ironic when they claim they never practiced, with Cooley chiming in, "If you want to break up a band, practice." Their harmonies were much more noticeable here, and the sound,in general was spot-on. I think that every live song bested the studio version. Lastly, it was obvious they were having a ball up there, and that's infectious to the viewer, even one seeing it on DVD. In short, I can't imagine any true DBT fan not wanting to own this, especially because it's the only live performance with the incomparable Jason Isbell.
