The only thing missing was a...

The only thing missing was a bottle of moonshine and the muggy

swamp-heat of a Mississippi Hill Country September night. When the

North Mississippi All-Stars took the stage at the Galaxy Theater on

Thursday night the hypnotic stomp that has become the signature sound

of such Hill Country artists as R.L. Burnside and T-Model Ford was

alive and well in Orange County.

Two thirds of the All-Stars are the sons of Memphis scenester and

producer Jim Dickinson (Big Star, The Replacements, Aretha Franklin,

Ry Cooder). With Cody Dickinson beating out a combi- nation of the

stomp and a jammy-like Allman Brothers rhythm, and Luther Dickinson

playing a smokin’ slide lead, these two skinny white kids are the

real deal. If you close your eyes and listen to Luther’s guitar,

you’ll hear the spirit of Son House and Robert Johnson screeching

through the tinny-slide as it goes up and down the fret board.

Bottoming out the sound is mammoth bass player Chris Chew. The

former college football player’s intricate, yet groovy bass lines had

the small crowd dancing late into the night.

As a touring second guitarist the band added, Du Wayne Burnside,

son of R.L. The bloodlines run deep here, and the soul of the old

man’s powerful voice and mean slide definitely did not skip a

generation.

A highlight of the show was when Cody Dickinson switched

instruments with Burnside and allowed the crowd to watch the

Dickinson brothers play dual slide leads. Neither one of them used a

pick, and that combined with Burnside’s uncanny prowess behind the

skins had every foot in house tapping. Cody Dickinson even employed

an electric washboard for one song, perfectly combining the blues

with modern techno and noise-rock sounds.

In a time when nu metal, pop and garage schlock rule the air

waves, it’s refreshing to know the soul of Mississippi music still

exists.