|
|
Playing Buffalo for the first time since supporting their 2000 debut CD, the Tarbox Ramblers delivered a stunningly powerful show at Nietzsche’s, having obviously added some dirt and muscle to their sound.Led by guitarist/vocalist Michael Tarbox, the band has added some angry punk/rock edge to its rural blues, country and folk repertoire; this is allegedly apparent in the band’s new CD, “A Fix Back East,” which I haven’t had the chance to acquire yet but probably should now. The Tarbox Ramblers were almost a museum piece in certain ways during their 2000 Buffalo show at Mohawk Place, sounding awfully good but sometimes needing a bit more life.There was no need for added life this time out; Michael Tarbox and band (too quickly introduced to get all down) opened their show by blazing into “Stewball,” a grimy electric blues song from its first CD that was as raw as it was great going down; on top of that, the guitar lines were mostly simple, definitely displaying that it isn’t just what you play, but how you play it. |
The band next launched into “Sweet Honey in the Rock,” also from their first CD, a fast, hard rocking gospel song with great standup bass and Tarbox’s all but lewd slide guitar. Before the crowd ran out of breath, the Tarbox Ramblers slowed it down for a song that featured fine slide guitar as well as some raw fiddle from Alan Kaufman.
“John Hardy” (my apologies for any screwed up song titles) had a much stronger country feel blended with some gospel, flavored by some rather cool fiddle from Kaufman. This was followed by a song that brought out more of Tarbox’s angry electric slide guitar over a Bo Diddley drum and percussion beat, succeeding at what too many lesser bands try to sound like. This was followed by a joyous “Ain’t No Grave that Can Hold My Body Down,” propelled by slapping bass and drums; after a countrified song highlighted by Kaufman’s fiddle, the Tarbox Ramblers returned to the rocking blues of “Bottle Up and Go,” adding an echoey, eerie sound.
While remaining raw, the band stripped things down further on the rugged “When the Train Goes Long,” then broke into one of their live favorites, “Jack of Diamonds,” with a long, very good fiddle solo from Kaufman. Songs seemed to become more hypnotic as the set went on, including a slow, very heavy gospel song and a cover of “Wabash Cannonball.” During the set, the drummer broke two snare heads, and Rex Hobart at one point turned to me, pointed at the drum kit and laughed, “that’s like a sports car.”
The rather sizable audience hooted, hollered and ate things up from the Tarbox Ramblers all night, yelling out requests and applauding solos like not enough Buffalo crowds do. The band members, especially Tarbox himself, were very approachable after the set, with a decent number of musicians who attended talking to him about his guitar sound.
As a reminder, the Tarbox Ramblers’ new CD, “A Fix Back East,” all Michael Tarbox originals, as well as their first, self-titled CD, are available on Rounder Records (www.rounder.com).
Opening the show was Rex Hobart and the Wrecks, but in a slightly different form than normal, as bassist/singer Jim Whitford was unable to play because he was vacationing in northern Ontario. Former Steam Donkeys’ bassist John Weber filled in for him. Playing one of his last shows before leaving town (see article/review elsewhere in this edition for details), Hobart sounded pretty darn good and the positive, loud crowd response he received virtually surprised him. He opened with “Baby Don’t Make Me Break Your Heart,” to which Charlie Quill played a smart guitar solo, and Hobart continued the upbeat honky tonk on “Don’t Ask Me (I Just Lost My Mind),” and the crowd favorite “Got to Get Back to Forgetting You.”
The crowd continued to emphatically cheer Hobart on; among the more enjoyable songs that night were “Between a Rock and Heartache,” “You’ve Got Some Cheating to Do,” the Merle Haggard cover “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)” and the original “Here Comes Nothing.” While planning to perform a shorter set than when he headlines, the crowd called Hobart and company back for three encores
|
|
|
|
|
|
