10.15.2004
Dispatch From Alabama
By keeping me ear to the ground via the Chamber’s e-mail list, I was able to procure complimentary tickets to last night’s concert at the DECC arena. It was the country band Alabama’s Farewell American Tour 2003. Apparently, they’ve been saying “goodbye” for quite some time now.
I have to admit, though, that they did put on an alright show. I don’t even like country, but I started getting into it after a while last night. I think it would have helped if I had known more of their songs beyond, “Mountain Music.”
The show started out kinda slow, and it seemed like the guys weren’t even trying. But they picked up speed as the audience started picking up the frequency of their trips to the concessions stand.
Hi-lites of the show included several medleys, “jams,” and silly songs (the Chicken Dance and “Take Me out to the Ball Game”) that the band broke into on several occasions. One of those jams included an impressive moment when Randy, Teddy and Jeff as assumed a “group hug” position wherein they were all able to play each others guitars / bass. A tribune to Johnny Cash with a rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues” was also enjoyed.
Another personal favorite moment was when the band came back for their encore and started to perform the one song of theirs that I know, the aforementioned “Mountain Music.” This too soon evolved past the original song. After the first two versus of the song, the audience got treated to a drum solo and “dueling” drums and congas, followed by the first few bars of AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” followed a chase and mangling of the accordion/ist.
Cheezy parts included the numerous ballads performed during which lighters and cell phones were waved in the air, and the repeated utterance of our town and state's names which produced automatic cheers, whoops, hollers and applause from the lemmings’ sections.
All in all, not a BAD show, not a BAD experience, but all the same, I’m glad I didn’t pay.
You can read the DNT’s review here. http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/9925066.htm
