Patterson Hood (www.pattersonhood.com), of the Drive-By Truckers (www.drivebytruckers.com), played two nights at the Melting Point this month. It was billed as Patterson Hood and the Downtown Rumblers. This group was brought together by Patterson including DBT’s Brad Morgan, John Neff and Jay Gonzalez (www.jaygonzalez.com), producer/professor David Barbe (www.davidbarbe.bandcamp.com), Jacob Morris, of the Moths, and Hope For Agoldensummer’s Claire Campbell (www.hopeforagoldensummer.com) even played her singing saw. All these fine musicians seated and lined up on the stage reminded me of DaVinci’s Last Supper. They played a few DBT songs and a lot of new songs that will be on Patterson’s upcoming, third, solo album. Patterson spoke out about a Walmart that might be built right behind his house (and around the block from me). He wrote a very special song about Athens called ‘After It’s Gone’ (http://protectdowntownathens.com/after-its-gone/), which he recorded with ‘the Downtown 13’, made up of members of Widespread Panic, R.E.M., the Futurebirds and most of the Downtown Rumblers. Patterson asks, “Who needs a downtown when there’s a Walmart next door?”
The first night at the Melting Point was very laid back and there were plenty of empty chairs because most of Patterson’s fans are working class folks, most had to work and didn’t hit town til dusk on Friday. Old Smokey opened the show with Jim Willingham’s slow banjo and chilled vocal presentation – no hurry to get anywhere. Friday night would prove to be much more rowdy but not nearly as rowdy as a normal DBT show. I mean there were rows of seats set up on the floor of the Melting Point and the band was seated the entire time, but it was much more energetic than Thursdays show.
They asked us not to take any videos at this show.
