Homecoming 2015: 2/12, 2/13, 2/14 @ The Fabulous 40 Watt!

[Tequila Cowboy]

I may write a longer post when I have some time, today we're heading to Birmingham for Will Johnson, but I wanted to say something and I guess it boils down to this; Homecoming 2015 was the essence of why I love this community and this band. We got three amazing Rock Shows (including one of the very best I've seen on Friday) great openers, no dramatic weather or any terrible events, a really nice gathering on Friday organized by Athens Joe to not only continue but expand the tradition of his old Gumbofest and make the party open to all, a universal confirmation that everything was indeed Clams' fault by decree of the tee shirt, an unbelievably successful 3DD fundraiser and Nuci's own auction, and of course the camaraderie of some of the finest people I've ever knows. For several days friends were no more than a stone's throw away waiting with hugs and laughs. You can't really ever ask for more than that. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this on that day in 2004 in Chicago when I finally figured out (after prodding from friends for a few years) what the fuss was over this Rock band with the unusual name. Y'all are my Rock & Roll family and while know we'll see some of you along the road this year I cannot wait until next year when we all gather here in Athens, GA and get to do this with everyone all over again. Safe travels to all of you heading home. All is definitely well.

[John A Arkansawyer]

All is definitely well.

I blame Clams.

[Jonicont]

All is definitely well.

I blame Clams.

Absolutely

[MrsUncleFrank23]

Thank you for an amazing weekend. Liam kept saying, "Everyone is so nice, mom" and I couldn't agree more. Thanks for taking time to be so kind and welcoming to a boy who is missing his dad and for helping to make some great memories for him. Homecoming holds a special place in my heart because of Ben and all of you. He is definitely looking down and smiling.

Hugs one more time.

[phungi]

Waiting to leave town following my first Homecoming, I am spent and smiling.

Met a ton of great folks, solidified some great relationships, and saw three incredible rock shows.

Rocking out with Guinness, Ramonz, Flea, Cole and many others, not far from my rail-riding friends (Luke Sarah Karen etc as well as meeting Sarah and Allison), and so many more.

Planning and pulling off the "I Blame Clams" shirt fiasco/gag and having that occur the night of an epic show only added to the vibe.

In sum, I feel like I just saw 3 private fan club shows for hard core fans in the band's home town and they brought everything. Between educating us on the ways of Supreme Court Justices and Goats Cooley rocked, Matt smiled and Rocked, Jay whistled and rocked, Patterson MC'd and rocked and EZB just rocked.

Given that Clams introduced me to all this, I can truly blame him, but for that and many other things, I am grateful!

[Cole Younger]

I've been kind of waiting to comment on the weekend because I just have t wanted to admit that it's over. But hey, we get to do it all over again next year.

Too many highlights to name. I don't know how it's possible that this gets better every year but it does. I don't know how the band continues to top themselves but they do. I thought Thursday night this year was the best night one show I've ever seen. The sound up front was great where I was standing. When the Camp amped kids came out and opened with War Pigs it was a harbinger of just what kind of night it would be. The guys came out and just grabbed the place by the throat and never let go. When they launched into Where The Devil Don't Stay early in the set it was clear that they were on a mission. My buddy Mike finally got Gravity's Gone which he had been chasing. I got Buttholeville for the first time. They were on fire and set the bar high for the weekend. I got to Athens Thursday night in time to check into my room and hurry to the 40 Watt. I immediately was greeted by Slipkid and BillinCT and Jonicont spotted us and came by to say hey before going in. I got inside and got to my usual spot where my man LBRod was already holding it down. Cooleygirl was passing by, saw me and stopped and gave me a big old hug. It was great. It was like coming home. Mike and I met a young guy who was attending his very first rock show Thirsday night. His excitement was great to see and really contagious. As soon as the guys walked out on stage he lost it. It was fun to watch.

The meet up at the Bar on Friday was great. Lots of room and a good opportunity to talk to everybody and meet some new people. I got to hold down the end of the bar with Slipkid for a little bit.

The I Blame Clams Tee shirt black opps and it's success was something else. Really funny and a good homecoming memory. I walked into the 40 Watt that night with my Blame Clams shirt on under my button up. Walked up and saw that he had already seen several of the shirts. I unbuttoned my shirt And pulled it open Superman style to which Clams said, "Aw man! Fuck you!"

Friday nights show was off the charts. Personally, it's the best show I've ever seen. Cooley brought back One of these Days. We got White Knuckle West Virginia. Unreal. The asshat factor was a little higher Friday night but that was to be expected as there were more people there than Thursday night.

Two other highlights I want to make sure to mention, meeting and getting to hang out with Ramonz and punghi was really great. I'm glad I ended up next to y'all for those two nights. Y'all are good fellas. Finally meeting and getting to talk to Flea is another. Great to finally meet you bro. It was fun rocking out with you.

I'm leaving a ton of stuff out its still tough to get my mind around all of it right now. I was sad to leave Athens Saturday morning. Especially without really getting to say goodbye to everybody. But Mrs. Younger was unable to find a babysitter for baby Younger and thus unable to come up Saturday as planned. It was sad to leave but I pulled out of Athens with a full heart. Can't wait to see all y'all and do it again.

[John A Arkansawyer]

So I'm on the Megabus from Atlanta to Memphis, where I'm going to be stuck overnight. Worse things could happen.

Last night was a real good show. Finally seeing Hood and Cooley engage in on-stage goatfucking--they just give us their all, don't they?

As I was getting my line food from Clockers, I ducked into Wuxtry Records on a whim. There was a guy going through a big stack of David Bowie records and giving a detailed report on the various labels and issue dates. I'm not sure if he saw my DBT jacket, or not, but his conversation with the clerk turned to Friday night's show, which he'd attended. "DBT is like a cult," he said. "All they do is talk on stage about Alabama." Or words to that effect. I've already seen it solo and with the band, but I would cheerfully trade him a world of hurt for the White Knuckles, WV he didn't appreciate.

Thanks to the assholes from Wisconsin for letting me hang with them last night till it was time to get this asshole to the airport. It wouldn't be a Homecoming without getting Dazed with them. Special thanks to the rock and roll guest star in the kinky boots--a wonderful audience and a pretty good second banana.

And thanks to everyone else, even the girl who complained about the old guy farting on her--if you are reading this, that was a grave injustice which you should post it on Facebook--and the guy weaving enough that when his wife left to finish her show from the sidelines, I couldn't slide into her spot. As Bob Dylan says, "Everybody will help you. Some people are very kind." Whether you were helpful-kind or helpful-otherwise, thanks! It wouldn't have been the same without any of you and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

[walthers]

Been following the good times all weekend. Thanks to everyone that's posted, I appreciate the updates and am downloading the shows from etree now. Looks like Homecoming is going to be the top priority for next year. I hope everyone has a safe trip home.

[dime in the gutter]

well...you know a good goat will do that for ya....

[Clams]

well...you know a good goat will do that for ya....

There was a lot more talk about goat fucking and cock sucking than I was expecting this weekend. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[one belt loop]

well...you know a good goat will do that for ya....

There was a lot more talk about goat fucking and cock sucking than I was expecting this weekend. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I think Cooley got taken to task for implying that there's something wrong with cocksucking. Patterson went to some lengths to make up for it. Next thing you know, he's a goat fucker.

[schlanky]

Just got back to Birmingham from my first Homecoming, and just gotta say this was one of the best music weekends I've had in a very long time.

I went in with very high expectations and the reality exceeded my wildest dreams. Caught a bunch of songs for the first time & woke up Saturday morning with a smile on my face from the greatness of the night before and realized there was another full night coming up.

Every bit as enjoyable as the music was meeting a bunch of you 3DDers. Thanks to all you fantastic folks who made this newbie feel so welcome.

I enjoyed the hell out of all of it. As tired as I am right now, I'm a little disappointed that there's no Rock Show tonight.

[Ty Webb]

I think this year will be my last homecoming. As much as I like the idea of seeing the boys at the 40 Watt the room sucks. It sounds awful and the crowd is always overly aggressive, too liquored up, and generally surly.

If I could have seen Friday night's show at the Theatre or another, better venue it would have been a live music highlight of my life. Instead I left feeling sad, disappointed, and wondering why some chick called me "South Georgia Trash" in response to my "excuse me" as I tried to get back to my friends with a round of beers.

[sloansimpson]

http://southernshelter.com/2015/02/drive-by-truckers-40-watt-club-2015-02-14/

Drive-By Truckers - 2015-02-14
40 Watt Club - Athens, GA

01) Lookout Mountain
02) Gravity's Gone
03) Play It All Night Long
04) Women Without Whiskey
05) The Opening Act
06) Three Dimes Down
07) Everybody Needs Love*
08) Love Like This
09) 18 Wheels Of Love
10) Primer Coat
11) When Walter Went Crazy
12) One Of These Days
13) Puttin' People On The Moon
14) Shit Shots Count
15) Hell No, I Ain't Happy
16) E:) Sign 'O' The Times
17) Zip City
18) Angels And Fuselage
19) Shut Up And Get On The Plane
20) Grand Canyon

* w/ David Barbe - guitar, vocal

http://www.drivebytruckers.com

Patterson Hood - guitar, vocal
Mike Cooley - guitar, vocal
Jay Gonzalez - guitar, keyboard, vocal
Matt Patton - bass
Brad Morgan - drums

Source: Neumann KM-184(DIN)> Lunatec V2> Tascam DR-680(24/44)>
HDD> Reaper/Wavelab(DSP)> CDWave

Recorded and mastered by Sloan Simpson

[bovine knievel]

I think this year will be my last homecoming. As much as I like the idea of seeing the boys at the 40 Watt the room sucks. It sounds awful and the crowd is always overly aggressive, too liquored up, and generally surly.

If I could have seen Friday night's show at the Theatre or another, better venue it would have been a live music highlight of my life. Instead I left feeling sad, disappointed, and wondering why some chick called me "South Georgia Trash" in response to my "excuse me" as I tried to get back to my friends with a round of beers.

Bummer... You know who to blame.

[Cole Younger]

I think this year will be my last homecoming. As much as I like the idea of seeing the boys at the 40 Watt the room sucks. It sounds awful and the crowd is always overly aggressive, too liquored up, and generally surly.

If I could have seen Friday night's show at the Theatre or another, better venue it would have been a live music highlight of my life. Instead I left feeling sad, disappointed, and wondering why some chick called me "South Georgia Trash" in response to my "excuse me" as I tried to get back to my friends with a round of beers.

Man I hate to hear this/hope you reconsider. I don't think we've met but I would hate for anybody here to decide to stop coming to Homecoming.

I can understand you frustration however. There was a noticeable uptick in bad behavior Friday night. I experienced a little of it too. I hate to detract from how great the weekend and the shows were and I'm really not trying to do that. This was my favorite Homecoming so far. But we experienced something like what you're talking about down front. When I was in line waiting to get into the 40 Watt, there was a group of about four people just ahead of me. There was was a woman around my age who was there with her dad, husband or boyfriend, and another guy. She made a comment about planning to get drunk and real hard to handle. I didn't think too much of it at the time but right after Lydia Loveless ended her set phungi, a few others, and myself had another encounter with these folks. The father of the woman I mentioned pushed his way up front from somewhere in back, pushed between my buddy Mike and me, who are both good sized men, and wedged himself right in the middle of several of us. Before I could really react to this, his daughter from earlier when I was in line came pushing through and had made good on her promise to get drunk and annoying. She shoved past Mike and was trying to get around me yelling, " Out of my way!" "Daddy! I got you a beer daddy!" "Here you go daddy! I pushed through all these people!"

There was a guy standing to my right who is a 3dd member that I never got to meet. When this woman fussed at him about wanting to get by him he told here, "my friends have that spot. They went to go get drinks and are coming back." I offered him some support saying that he was right and that those people would be back.

She continued to yell into my ear and her dad just stood in the spot he had shoved his way into. All the while phungi and I were looking at each other shaking our heads. He leaned up toward the man and said, "sir we are all friends here and are hanging out together. You've shoved your way in between a bunch of us. Why would you do that? Just move back right behind us and you will still be really close to the stage." To my surprise the guy just agreed to do it and moved.

All of us look out for each other and make sure that people are able to get back to the spot they got there early to be able to have. But you get folks who get too much to drink and then get disrespectful and throw common courtesy to the dogs.

It seems like these kinds of things get taken care of though. I hope you don't decide not to come back. Don't let the asshats win.

As for the South GA trash comment, I'm glad I didn't hear that.

[Gaetzi]

Even Clams couldn't take credit for the hangover I have. I thought about asking United if they would get me to our gate in a wheelchair.

What a phenominal weekend, thanks to everyone for help making it so special for Noelle and I. And God bless the Drive by Truckers

Sorry to hear you had a less than ideal experience Ty.. In contrast, everyone near us were all super friendly and well behaved. We'll be back next year.

[brett27295]

I guess I've been lucky because in all the years we've been coming to Homecoming we've never had a bad experience, well other than being sick last night (can I blame Clams?). The worst experience I've ever had at the 40 Watt was Pork Pie Hat Guy last year & that was just mildly annoying. We're definetly coming back next year & every year they have it.

[John A Arkansawyer]

The worst experience I've ever had at the 40 Watt was Pork Pie Hat Guy last year & that was just mildly annoying.

I was hoping to see him again this year. Last year, I kept telling people he was Craig Finn, here to see DBT incognito, and I think a few of them believed it.

[phungi]

I think this year will be my last homecoming. As much as I like the idea of seeing the boys at the 40 Watt the room sucks. It sounds awful and the crowd is always overly aggressive, too liquored up, and generally surly.

If I could have seen Friday night's show at the Theatre or another, better venue it would have been a live music highlight of my life. Instead I left feeling sad, disappointed, and wondering why some chick called me "South Georgia Trash" in response to my "excuse me" as I tried to get back to my friends with a round of beers.

This was my first Homecoming and my experience couldn't have been different.

If you do return, look out for Cole, Guinness and Flea... You will be in the Circle of Trust, and thus, insulated from the assholes.

Appreciate the kudos from Cole... Being polite and logical is always a good starting point, even at the 40 Watt!

[Maluca3]

"All they do is talk on stage about Alabama and goatfucking."

Fixed.

[Markalanbishop]

With apologies to PH: Laying around in the aftermath, it's all better than you think.

What a weekend. Echo everyone's sentiments about the awesome 3DD community I was lucky enough to stumble into. It's not often you get to hang out in an asshole-free zone. Proud to be a part of it. Quick thoughts-- Thursday was amazing. Not overly crowded and roamed around most of the night. Boys were on fire and we're just getting warmed up. Friday was transcendent, plus my daughters were with me and reconnected with jonicont's lovely daughter. Lots of laughs and fun. They came up with the idea to start a "Children of DBT" support group to share stories about their parents becoming obsessed with this wonderful band. I'm pretty sure they all blame Clams for their occasionally missing parents. Don't know if it was just me but Saturday was a powerfully emotional show. Patterson and Cooley are clearly in love again and the whole band has a connection you just can't fake. Got misty during Primer Coat and the encore was magical. Can we do it again next month?

[John A Arkansawyer]

"All they do is talk on stage about Alabama and goatfucking."

Fixed.

Good catch! Come to think of it, by the end of last night, they were doing more than talking about it.

[sloansimpson]

I thought the sound was great the two nights I went, and I think that the 40 Watt sounds good in general too.

[beantownbubba]

As for the South GA trash comment, I'm glad I didn't hear that.

If saying "excuse me" is grounds for being considered South GA trash, where can I sign up?

[Clams]

I thought the sound was great the two nights I went, and I think that the 40 Watt sounds good in general too.

The sound was amazing in the back of the room, up front it was spotty. For example, on the Jay side it was sometimes hard to great Cooley's guitar. Not complaining, just saying.

[Wolf]

well i had a goddamn blast. stayed sober all 3 nights. didn't get roofied or offend anyone. took a lot of pics with my new camera. i'm a noobie to technology. in my mind last night was the best night but my mind is a fuckin' mess so who knows. never been to a bad trucker show. i love all you silly fuckers!

[headhunter]

so much fun.
such a good kind of tired.

can't think of many better ways in this world to spend a few days. thanks to all of you who shared a laugh, a beer, a smile or a hug.

i love this band. i love this community.

came for the music. will be back again because of the people.

[Flea]

Hurting.

[brett27295]

Only 361 days to go...