Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band toured behind their “The Mountain” CD many years ago; from the minute they crowded around one microphone on the Mississippi Nights stage in St. Louis, I was hooked. I already admired the record but once I saw that show, I loved it. Every time I played “The Mountain,” I saw the musicians jockeying for position for solos, leaning in for harmonies and performing as a sum of many great parts.
I had the same reaction when I saw Chatham County Line last night. The quartet wore suit jackets, ties in some cases, even when it was broiling onstage. Against the backdrop of a North Carolina state flag, they played red-hot music, white lightning music. And some incredible ballads. I’m so glad I trekked in from suburbia for it.
The whole night felt like Nashville (except it took 50 minutes, not 10, to get to the venue). I had my standard should-I-stay-or-should-I-go moment and finally decided to take the plunge. Once I am in the car, and speeding along the Interstate, I’m fully invested in the evening. Just as in Nashville, I’ve learned to get there early so I can secure my spot in the back of the room. I usually meet someone interesting (this time, a mother-and-son pair who just love Americana music), enjoy the show, and marvel about it all the way home.
And like Nashville, there’s more good music this week than I can possibly see. I think this week was abnormally high. I could have camped out at Eddie’s Attic all week:
- Thursday night Eddie’s featured Chuck Prophet (I went to see Joan Armatrading at the Variety)
- I did see Chatham County Line (and a great opener, the Georgia Fireflies) at Eddie’s Saturday, although I could have gone to see the B-52s in my corner of suburbia
- Sunday night at Eddie’s will be Will Kimbrough (instead I will be sweating my *** off at an outdoor show at the Atlanta Botanical Garden featuring John Hiatt and Webb Wilder)
Georgia Confidential 