The first time I saw the Drive-By Truckers was in 2005 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Eighteen years later – in May 2023 – they headlined the same venue which has a capacity of approximately 600 people. In a world where former bandmate Jason Isbell can sell out 8 nights at the 2,300 capacity Ryman Auditorium, the Truckers can barely sell out one.
Yet they keep on pushing on as road warriors. The band, proud of pronouncing its southern roots but not afraid to distinguish themselves from the typical southern experience that is often stereotyped, performed on 9/28/23 at New York City’s Pier 17. They were the middle band of a three band bill with the Old 97’s headlining and American Aquarium opening up. It was a great line-up because all of the bands are kindred spirits.
Drive-By Truckers came on just after the rain stopped at the outdoor venue and performed a truncated set of about an hour, which is less than their usual two plus hours headlining set. They opened up with ‘Maria’s Awful Disclosures” from their 2022 album Welcome 2 Club XIII. The song was written by Mike Cooley, one of the band’s guitarist and songwriters, and is based on an 1836 anti-Catholic book about a nun who flees from her convent. It may seem like an unlikely opener but, with its cacophony of Crazy Horse like guitars, it set the tone for a “let’s rock” kind of set.
Songs like the Patterson Hood-penned “Lookout Mountain” from The Dirty South album and “Hell No I Ain’t Happy” from Decoration Day highlighted the screeching sounds of guitars rooted in the band’s punk influences. The band tends to alternate between the more melodic Cooley songs to the brooding minor chords that Patterson Hood tends to emphasize in his songs.
The star of the band is the multi-talented keyboard player and guitarist Jay Gonzalez. It was mesmerizing to watch him simultaneously play guitar with one hand and keyboards with the other. He was the perfect counter-balance to Cooley and Hood, often adding a third lead guitar to the band.
The cover of Springsteen’s “Adam Raised a Cain” that closed their set was powerful as they were able to keep the spirit of the song yet interpret it as a raging testament to many of the themes they write about in their own songs.
What makes the band special live is they refuse to go through the motions whether they are performing to a crowd of hundreds or a crowd of thousands. Go see this American treasure of a band. They deserve your support.
About the author: Survived a career at the NYC Department of Education. Currently employed attending as many concerts as humanly possible without driving.