By Photojournalist Jeffrey Moellering
When the Drive-By Truckers take the stage, you’re not just getting any old going through the motions show; you’re stepping into a world of Southern rock ‘n’ roll, heartfelt storytelling, and unrelenting energy that leaves you both exhausted and exhilarated. Last weekend’s performance at the historic Tampa Theatre was no different — a raw and riveting display of everything that makes this band one of the finest in American rock today, full of vinegar, spit, acerbic wit and just a dash of sugar-sweet tea
Trucker’s visit to Tampa is part of their 2001 landmark “Southern Rock Opera” album revisited tour, a sprawling opus which tackled themes of adolescence, alienation, and inspiration, filtered through the lens of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s tragic 1977 plane crash that killed three band members. The album has become a kind of cult classic among DBT fans, with its theme of seeking humanity during troubled times still powerfully resonating as relevant as ever, over two decades later.
The full house inside the cozy and somewhat macabrely adorned Tampa Theatre provided the perfect ambience for the evening’s funky festivities, and there was certainly a buzz of anticipation in the air. Many fans marked the occasion by making a road trip from neighboring cities and states, in true homage to the album’s themes of life in the fast lane.
The band weaved their way through their signature release in order and through the entirety of its 20 songs, while trucker hat and flannel shirt wearing fans rushed the front of the stage, screaming the poignant lyrics in unison, laughing along with tales of teenage foibles, in a frenetic search for freedom and a means of wringing meaning from this life, beyond what you were told throughout childhood should be important. The band’s laid-back and laconic lamenting wit is one of the key elements that make a DBT show feel so dynamic and timeless.
Trucker’s musicianship at the Tampa gig was as tight as ever. Jay Gonzalez’s piano work and guitar added rich layers to the sound, while bassist Matt Patton and drummer Brad Morgan locked in a drumming groove that swung like Spanish Moss slung across live oaks. The triple guitar attack of bandleader Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, and Gonzalez are reminiscent of the searing licks from Skynyrd’s heyday, and the show really got revved up, culminating in a captivating rocking crescendo.
A standout moment was a blistering encore of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” classic anthem, seeking to synthesize the observations of a Canadian interloper with the lessons learned from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Patterson urged the devoted fans to “F Fear!”, and to have the courage of conviction in a sometimes-confusing world.
Ultimately, Drive-By Truckers delivered a masterclass in rock ‘n’ roll storytelling, combining fierce energy with introspective Dixie reflection.Reconciling the complicated history of the South is a metaphor for life struggles to find comfort amid the swirling contradictions, while seeking integrity and a belief in the humanity of all – even those we may not like or agree with. While the Southern skies may be dark at times, with the Drive-By Truckers behind the wheel, there’s always a light shining to navigate the often-perilous road ahead.
