Last night Mort and I headed to Maxwell's (best venue in the metro area) for Dr. Dog. While the Dog show lived up to our exceedingly high expectations, what left us blown away and breathless was the ragged set of jalopy sing-a-longs by opener Delta Spirit. This ramshackle band of soul searching, highway living Kerouacian angels invigorated Washington St. with an angry poet's boiling blood and a coal miner's simple sensibilities. I'm not sure how many times Mort and I turned to each other in amazement but I'm gonna guess around 9. Delta Spirit delivered an impassioned, heart-wrenching set of rock and roll that sounds like it was drummed up by a camp of laborers laying down the Trans-Continental Railroad. At times the songs seemed culled from the majestic "Mermaid Avenue" series, or a punk rock tribute to the Band. This is music for people whose hearts are bigger than their heads. It boils and bleeds and chokes and makes you want to sing from a place deep inside your tummy. I can only liken it to seeing the Arcade Fire at Red Rocks this summer, where everyone seemed to be apart of some cosmic gospel choir. Delta Spirit's recent release, Ode to Sunshine, hasn't left my grasp since the show and I don't think it's going anywhere fast. To quote I Guess I'm Floating "How has this band not been signed yet?" If I had to guess the only reason these guys haven't inked a deal is because they haven't found the right one. I really hope thats the case as Ode to Sunshine has all the makings of a record that stays in your collection for life, only to be picked up by curious kids thirty years down the line and embraced by generations to come. They closed their set with "People, Turn Around" a harmonica blessed acoustic sing-a-long with all the heart and soul of the "I Shall Be Released" from the The Last Waltz. Yeah, this band is that awesome. BUY this album HERE. Peep their Daytrotter session HERE. Did I mention the lead singer played a keg during Dr. Dogs set?!
Delta Spirit- People, Turn Around
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