Review: Jason & the Scorchers

Photos by Matt Cook

Wednesday's  show at Knuckleheads was an anniversary party and a reunion of sorts.

Headliners Jason & the Scorchers are on the road celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Reckless Country Soul,” their first recording.

Before the show, among the crowd of 200 or so, there was plenty of talk and reminiscing about Lawrence in the early 1980s, when bands like the Scorchers came through town regularly, playing venues like Off the Wall Hall (now the Bottleneck) and the Lawrence Opera House (now Liberty Hall).

Back then, the Scorchers’ primal brand of hard rock and country — cowpunk, they called it — felt raw and subversive, a molten antidote to pop and commercial country. Thirty years later, it feels just as invigorating, but time has softened its menace into something as charming as it is incendiary.

They played for more than two hours, plus a 30-minute intermission that should have been shortened or canceled, given the weather that bullied its way into town that evening. The set list jumped all over the band’s discography, but it was stocked with all the favorites: “Harvest Moon,” “Hot Nights in Georgia,” “Golden Ball and Chain,” “When It All Comes Crashing Down,” “Bible and a Gun.”

As a singer, Jason Ringenberg hasn’t lost much power or twang. As a band leader, he still runs an entertaining show. He told a few anecdotes, including one about having to inform Steve Earle about changing the lyrics to his song “Bible and a Gun” and another about being the highest-charting band ever on a German label’s mini-LP chart. He also made light of everyone’s age, including his own.

Adding to the reunion spirit: a guest-vocal appearance by Chuck Mead on “Lost Highway,” a song Hank Williams recorded.

Mead is best known for starting the retro-country band BR5-49 in the 1990s. But a lot of people in the crowd first knew him as the lead singer in the Lawrence band the Homestead Grays, who played all over these parts in the mid-1980s. His song was one of a few that suffered some brief technical difficulties with a microphone. (His vocals were inaudible for part of the song.)

Mead wasn’t the only guest singer. In the second set, Stacie Collins, who is married to the Scorchers’ bass player, Al Collins, sang lead on “200 Proof Lovin’.” (She fronts her own honky-tonk band, which will be at Knuckleheads in February.)

Lead guitarist Warner Hodges also took over lead vocals on the incendiary “Thanks for the Ride,” a song that was more ’80s metal than country punk. He spent the rest of the night living up to his billing (from Ringenberg) as the best country-rock lead guitarist anywhere.

The show’s biggest moment came early in the second set, when they lit the fuse on their feverish version of Bob Dylan’s “Absolutely Sweet Marie.” That was one of a few covers that ignited a rowdy sing-along and even some soft-core slam-dancing.

Later in the set, Ringenberg told a story about their cover of the Byrds’ “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man” and its response from Ralph Emery, the dean of Nashville radio disc jockeys.

The clock was crawling toward midnight as they finished the encore. By then the crowd had thinned noticeably, thanks mostly to the weather. It didn’t affect the mood much.

They closed with “Help! I’m on Fire,” then set fire to John Denver’s “Country Roads.” The sing-along to that one was loud as any all night, which was fitting, I suppose. Music has a way of taking us to times and places that feel as warm and romantic as a hometown that hasn’t been seen for 30 years.

| TImothy Finn, The Stars

Comments

[JJ]

I really did not know that much about Jason other than a few songs from the 80's. But I knew their reputation as a high energy live act and they lived up to it.
Also really enjoyed the number Stacie Collins sang.
On the other hand I could do without witnessing the middle age plus slam dancing.

[onthemark]

I hear ya JJ, I was afraid I was going to get pulled into the 'mosh pit' there for a while myself!

Good show, high energy, very enjoyable.

I read another poster's comment on the difference in sound at Knuckleheads due to the recent renovations. From where I sat, I did not notice much if any difference. Other than not being able to hear Chuck Mead at all when he sang.

[Pellboy]

Yeah, only had a problem w/ chuck's soundwise. Show was excellent, as good as their previous knuckleheads gig. Loved visiting w/ all the old lawrence cronies as well. Was more familiar w/ halcyon times this time around so that made show even more special. Warner & Jason were still nails and the swede rocked the drum kit. I will never tire of seeing this band. Perhaps they're my van halen.

[Geordan]

I've bought the "Halcyon Times" disc at that last Scorchers show at Knuckleheads and have been playing it quit a bit lately and it is really good. Love the riff on "Deep Holy Water." Hope they played that one for you this time. It was cool that the "Swede," Pontus Snibb was on the drums this outing. Last time, Mauro Magellan, from former Georgia Satellite, Dan Baird's band, Homeade Sin (Scorcher Warren E. Hodges is also a member) was at the kit and was damn good. Pontus is interesting in that he also sings for an up and coming hard-rocking band called Bonafide, that sounds a bit like AC/DC. Glad that all had a great time at the show and as it seems that Jason & company appear to be back together for now, hopefully we'll get another chance or three to see them back in KC.

[3 button suits]

I missed them so much! The last time that I saw them singing live is late 90's I guess. My Dad loves their song so much.