If one were to accept the word of media pundits, you could make a case that rock ‘n’ roll has lost its impact, diminished by the onslaught of hip-hop, video games and corporate radio. In truth, for anyone willing to dig just a little, there is still phenomenal music being made. Case in point: the bill at Cane’s Thursday, Jan. 18, featuring The Reverend Horton Heat, Junior Brown and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers.
This promises to be a rare show, with each performing band upping the ante as the night moves on. Opening the show will be Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers. Even among such stellar company, the band is a stand out.
By modern terms they are a new group. Barely three years old, the group caused a ruckus from the outset, mixing punk, blues, rockabilly and a dash of country with a blistering live show that has left audiences around the world stunned. Currently touring behind their third CD, “Pandelirium,” the band is built around manic, harmonica-playing frontman Col. J.D. Wilkes, who was once called “the last great rock ‘n’ roll frontman” by Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra.
While that may be overstating the case just a tad, it’s not far off. The quartet’s incendiary concert prowess, led by Wilkes’ over-the-top persona, has won them a legion of fans, particularly among their peers. Relentless road dogs, they’ve toured with obvious partners such as Hank Williams III as well as rock icon Robert Plant, never failing to win over their audiences and “” in the case of the Plant tour “” steal the show.
Taking the concert’s middle slot is ace guitarist Junior Brown. While he is thought of as a country artist, in truth, he is far closer to early roots rock ‘n’ roll or rockabilly. Performing since the late 1960s, Brown spent the ’80s as a guitar teacher at the Hank Thompson School of Country Music, located at Rogers State University in Oklahoma, but he really began to make waves when he and a friend invented the guit-steel, a combination of six-string guitar and pedal steel.
The instrument rests on a podium, while he plays standing up, using a mix of picking and slide to elicit a unique sound. The result is never less than stunning. Despite releasing numerous albums and winning a Country Music Award in 1996 for Country Music Video of the Year with his song “My Wife Thinks Your Dead,” its likely that more listeners are familiar with Brown’s music through it’s use in films. Brown can be heard in flicks as diverse as “Me, Myself & Irene,” starring Jim Carrey, and “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.”
He also served as narrator in the movie version of the “Dukes of Hazard.” Even if you aren’t a fan of country music, Brown’s energy and killer song writing will thrill the most jaded listener.
Topping the bill will be The Reverend Horton Heat. Known for their primal mix of rock, country and swing, the band and its same-named frontman have been the epitome of a cult act since its inception in 1985.
Existing just under the general public’s radar, the band has released 10 albums, with a “best of” collection issued in 2006. Like Brown, The Reverend’s music has been heard on TV shows, cartoons and movies. Besides the concert stage, the band’s biggest impact has been in the world of advertising. Levi’s and Boston Market have used their music, while a re-recorded version of his song “Like A Rocket” was used as the official Daytona 500 theme song in 2002.
With such an impressive roster, this show will be nothing less than a party, with an incredible live soundtrack. While it’s a shame that these acts have yet to cross over to a larger audience, for those in the know, this evening promises to be an unbeatable mix of good times and loud music.
