Dr. Dog / Delta Spirit / Hacienda‏

I don’t normally review concerts because once a show is over you can’t relive it… you might go and see them again but it won’t be the same show. However, I have changed my ways and realized that everyone derives a difference experience from different concerts, so with that change in the concert list each week I am also going to try to review the shows I go to now and then, please don’t expect me to review every show I go to…

I made the trip to Tucson last night with Mindi and Allen to see Dr. Dog / Delta Spirit / Hacienda at Club Congress. The trip down was pretty uneventful, besides political discussions by Allen and I (Mindi didn’t know we were discussing politics), a couple of candy bars, lime chips (yum) and one of those really cheap fruit pie things that probably should be illegal in the US.

______________________________________________________

Hacienda:



This Quartet was one of the best throw back to 60's I've probably ever seen. They were formed from cousins and 3 brothers in San Antonio TX. Rene Villanueva, the basses was absolutely brilliant, I would have been satisfied just watching him play! They did a couple of oldtimey Otis Redding covers and then some originals. After I have a chance to talk to Rene for a min about his influences. The claims to be influenced in the most part by, Buddy Holly, the Zombies and other late 50s pop.

There set was tight and fun to watch... they were able to please what is always a tough crowd in Tucson.
_____________________________________________________

Delta Spirit:



To be honest I was just as exited to see Delta Spirit as I was to see Dr. Dog. They lived up to every expectation. They started with an intense arousing version of, Bleeding Bell. Much more involved then the album version. Matthew Vasquez, just glared out into the audience like he had nothing to prove to anyone... like a penitent preacher facing his patronage with fearless reckless abandon! As the music intensified so did his glare and... um, yeah I'm going to say it, lust for the music.

At first I was a little upset that he wasn't entertaining us. But soon i realized that it was his passion for the music that was driving his emotions... and that is the essence of true musical expression. By the end of the their set, they had me begging for more music to feed my weakened emotion state!

After the show, I talked with founding member, Jon Jameson, he was so humbled to realize that I had already heard of them and we talked for a min about Ode To Sunshine and about Fate (Dr. Dog's latest album).
_____________________________________________________

Dr. Dog:



As always Dr. Dog was at peak performance. Scott and Toby danced nearly the entire set. Trading lead vocals from song to song. The set consisted mostly of Fate, which I was exited for because I wanted to hear the new stuff. They opened the set with "the old days" and from there just rolled from one song to the other. A couple of highlights were; The Ark, The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer, Army Of Ancients and My Old Ways.

However, there was the horrible smelling women behind me! I mean rancid, and I'm not talking about Tim Armstrong! I mean she was stinky!

Over all this was one of the best line ups I've seen all in one place this year, so if you get a chance to see anyone of these guys alone... don't miss it!