ComicDorksCast: From the Dorks’ Soundtrack (As Soon As This Shit Starts Boy It’s Bound To End- The Revival Tour 2008)

Saturday, November 15, 2008

From the Dorks’ Soundtrack (As Soon As This Shit Starts Boy It’s Bound To End- The Revival Tour 2008)

Music from episode # 41

Song-Avoiding Catatonic Surrender

Performed- by Tim Barry

(That's Tim right there.)

The Revival Tour

Lineup: Chuck Ragan, Ben Nichols, Tim Barry, Jon Gaunt, Digger Barnes & Todd Beene

Special guests on select dates: Austin Lucas, Bob Lucas, Jesse Malin, Frank Turner, Sundowner, Jon Snodgrass, Kevin Seconds, and Tom Gabel

Last night Joe Metro and I saw The Revival Tour at the Hi Tone in Memphis Tennessee. It was a nice drive in the Missouri rain; Arkansas and Tennessee’s skies were much the same. Did you know these new fancy phones come with GPS? Well, I didn’t and when I found out I spent the duration of the trip figuring out ways I could dodge a laser from outer space. You see I was certain my head was bound to be incinerated. Why else is there a blue dot following you the entire trip? By the time we entered The Volunteer State I had convinced myself I could, in fact, dodge a laser from outer space and knew that this night was to be a glorious one.

The Revival Tour is one of the best ideas I have ever heard of. Punk rockers picking folk songs, now that is pure genius. I had known of Chuck because of Hot Water Music, Ben Nichols because of Lucero, and Tim Barry because he used to hit on my buddies girlfriend but he is from a band called Avail. Hearing these guys play folk music was a real treat for me. You see one time I moved into to a punker’s apartment and with me I brought things like a banjo, a mandolin, a saw, some Dylan cds, and most importantly some Townes Van Zandt cds. A lot of jokes can be made about a boy from St. Peters that picks a banjer. These years transformed me from a slow and easy folkie into a hate breeding punk rocker that played folk music, sort of hard and I was in a three-piece horror rock band with the Devil and Doug. Due, to this transformation I had really gotten into Hot Water Music, amongst many other life changing punk rock bands. The result of seeing this show ended in me being the victor and he who laughed last. V I C T O R Y, you hear that Metro. V I C T O R Y!!!

The show opened with every one playing together. That includes Tim, Chuck, Ben, as well as Jon Gaunt on fiddle, Digger Barnes on stand-up bass fiddle, and Todd Beene on pedal steel. They took turns playing each other songs, which is the greatest thing about seeing this show. I got to see Chuck and Tim sing Lucero songs and Tim sing on Chuck songs… and etcetera, etcetera. It was especially nice hearing them play original music together as opposed to cover songs. Then Tom Gabel (Against Me!) took the stage. He was the guest during this leg of the tour. And Each Name on the bill got their very own solo set. Well, that’s mostly true. People would wander up and do songs with one another during those solo sets. This being the 50Th show on the tour they were sounding goddamned magical together. Then, we got Tim. Then, we got Chuck. Then, we got Ben. Then, we got everyone together again to bring it all home. But home was like 300 something miles away and it was 1:30 am. What ar

e we supposed to do?

After the show we decided to head back to St. Louis. We knocked on Graceland’s door but they refused to let us crash in the jungle room so our only choice was to truck on. To our surprise Cap’n Cletus Whiteheart did a back of the Van set that lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. 85% percent of the show was Cap’n Clet supporting Joe and the Metro’s. What more could you ask for in just one night and an early morning? It surely felt like one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. You know, one of those bad ideas you're glad you did. Not like that time you decided you needed just one more shot but one that ended without a morning of shame and is still remembered.

Everybody involved in this traveling show was absolutely folktastic. Right down to the doorman. Though his kindness made me think I was in a bar like the one in From Dusk Til Dawn and at any moment all these fine people were gonna turn and lust for my blood. The Hi Tone was a nice little bar. A perfect place to see a show of this nature. Above the bar was a huge picture of the King in his gee on his knees next to his sensei. That’s the first sign that a place rocks. Second sign is that they had a ping-pong room and a Tron arcade game. Overall this night is up their with the best that I have ever lived. -Rob

**A special true story from The Revival Tour 2008 in Memphis. Okay, there was a punker at the show. You know the type he had a baby fin, tight black jeans, and various mediocre punk band patches safety pinned to his hoodie. Now, there is nothing wrong with patches on hoodies as long I think that band is cool. Anyway, I guess this show was so good it made this punker realize his worst nightmare. Punk rockers playing folk music and doing it well, apparently, it made this punker realize he had been lying to himself. Music doesn’t have to be screamed at you accompanied by pick slides and distortion to carry a message you relate to. I love good punk music but I also realize you can play most of those songs slow acoustically and find that they still rock… and pick slides do indeed fucking rule. Obviously, this was overwhelming for him and he proceeded to puke right there on the floor. Personally, if I was Chuck I would feel like a bad ass. To be able to play music so good that a punker personifies your name on the floor of a bar is a fantastic feat.