Wall of Noise Makes Comeback - hold onto your ears

In search of something impressively loud and a complete contrast with the preceding weekend’s plethora of folk music brings us to the estimable Drive By Truckers. In fact it was such a shock to the system – together with the fact that the low stage meant that you could not actually see how many were actually supposed to be on stage (it turned out there was a steel guitar player sitting down and lost from view) that refuge was taken at the side of the stage. Whilst no-one else had spotted this prime location you could actually see what was happening on stage (albeit sideways on) and the sound was just as clear.
They’re a fine rock n’ roll band the Truckers – bottles of Jack Daniels liberally passed around on stage and smoking bans ignored, three lead guitars, a range of lead singers of which Patterson Hood’s has a decidedly honey and whisky-matured sand-papered growl (albeit some way short of Lemmy for which he should be grateful). Also a hugely attentive roadie who led the applause after each song, spotted and dealt with spilt drinks, swapped guitars and generally hovered by the side of the stage dealing with anything and everything that needed dealing with and, by the encores, was sufficiently appreciated by the band that he got to play lead guitar (well, one of three lead guitars actually). In spite of owning a selection of their fine albums – and having seen them a couple of times previously – this time it was almost impossible to distinguish what tracks they were actually playing. But it was played with such enthusiasm and at such high volume that it was pure mindless fun.