Southern Culture On The Skids @ Visulite Theatre

I have seen this name around for years - even back in Australia, but I've never gotten around to see SCOTS.  What a mistake!

Lately I've really had to push myself to go to shows.  I'm not always getting the same joy out of seeing live music as I have in the past.  Even tonight, I wanted to go to this show in November, but it was postponed due to the Visulite's roof being broken.  Tonight, I ummed and ahhed and then finally at 8.45pm I decided to go.  Luckily I only live a mile away and I could still get in.  It was a lot busier than I expected, until I realized they were a North Carolina band, then it all made sense.

Within 15 minutes of getting there and finding my spot on the floor at the front, SCOTS were onstage and warming the crowd up with a Link Wray cover.  From then on it was 100 minutes of great swamp-garage rock with a ting of rockabilly.  And the band and crowd were having some fun.  And not only was the music good, the musicianship was outstanding.  With a minimal 5 piece standing drumkit, bass playing with exuded coolness, some great guitar rhythm and lead work, and background percussion, you can tell this is a band who have plied their trade well for a long time.  Special mention also needs to be made of their dancer who came out during Dirt Track Date. I didn't know any SCOTS songs, but every song was great.  Funnel of Love and '69 El Camino early in the set were highlights.  House of Bamboo was also great.  I loved their surf rocking Meximelt, and was thinking of an old mate, Roman (he of the Ditch Diggers), when Ditch Diggin' came on.  8 Piece Box was a weird experience.  As people got on stage and the band started playing, the on stage audience, while dancing, threw bits of fried chicken into the crowd.  Crowd still on stage for the crowd favorite Camel Walk, and the main set was finished with a rocking version of Daddy Was A Preacher But Mama Was A Go-Go Girl.  So good.  Midnight to Six Man was the pick of the 3 song encore.

One thing I want to remember in the future that is not music related, but style content.  Bass player Mary Huff's look is dynamite.  The red updo, white rimmed sunglasses, diner shirt, checkerboard skirt (with matching purse) and white cowboy boots looked like any moment she was going to pull a pencil from behind her ear and take my breakfast order.  Instead she used her persona and tied it in to her performance.  Playing bass for her looks like just another part of her body.  Like you and I would breathe.  It looked like this is exactly where she is supposed to be.   In the past I have said Nick Cave, Tex Perkins, Les Claypool and Stefan Olsdal have this aura about them that makes you watch them (sometimes to the detriment of the rest of the band).  I would now like to add Mary Huff to list.

What I got most out of this was, if you see a band advertised and something tweaks your interest, go and see them.  I've seen the name Southern Culture On The Skids for probably more than 20 years.  Great name, there's got to be something to them right?  But never did I go and try something new.  What a waste.  Imagine years of seeing this brilliance, not just a first sow at age 51.  These guys are so good and so much fun, I'm not sure I'd ever miss a show that comes through town again.

Southern Culture On The Skids Setlist

Complete show

The Crap Facts:

This is my 502nd concert.
This is my 14th concert at The Visulite.
This is my 107th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 129th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 303rd concert in the USA.
Southern Culture On The Skids are the 579th band I've seen.