Last night saw an incredibly enthused, sold out, crowd venture out on a Monday to support Louisville ‘first timers’, Alabama Shakes. Nashville’s Fly Golden Eagle got the crowd working with some funky Southernish rock, but the performance by Alabama Shakes was something of wonder and mystery.
In much of my fan mail, there are always questions regarding what my favorite band/show may be or have been. Often similar inquiries are into favorite live moments or craziest thing I’ve ever witnessed. For a new band, last night may fall into all of the above categories. No one I’ve talked to has really had any words for it. They absolutely crushed. You know the feeling you get when you hear a song that truly gives you the chills from head to toe? Better than sex for most women (if you believe ’50 Shades of Grey’) and scoring the winning touchdown for most men (if you believe Al Bundy), that feeling is usually one you never forget. Some of mine, musically, would certainly be the first time I ever heard Nirvana, or seeing Pearl Jam, or sneaking into the Kings of Leon (warm up for Wembley) show at Brixton Academy in London, or possibly last night. Imagine that feeling and that would properly give word to the emotion that poured from that stage in audible loving.
As I mentioned Brittany Howard’s voice is that of legend, truly. Going from borderline shriek to soothing, but not careless, whispers in a way that truly captured every song in perfect delivery is a most difficult thing to do yet Howard performs with mere ease. In most all of the songs on Girls & Boys, there are such transitions but I never imagined they would translate so well live. It was as if every song could have been an encore, that’s how hard they crushed. I can’t say enough good things about this band, their live performance, and your need to enjoy it.
Photo Credit: Mike Lawrie, Getty
