Southern Rock has become the “underground” music of rock in recent times. While hardcore bands are filling mid-level venues, the classic grungy tunes have overtaken the smaller music halls with fervor. The close-knit quarters have fans clamoring over each other, jamming along with the music, and pushing towards the stage, slipping on spilled beer. Has Southern Rock returned to it's former glory of true raw grit? Blacktop Mojo is certainly pushing for it.
The band stopped into New Orleans on the second part of their North American Tour at the Southport Music Hall. The tour has been in support of their 2017 sophomore release via Cuhmon Record, Burn the Ships. The first single “Where The Wind Blows” reached #27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and amassing fans across the country. The band stormed the stage and kicked into “Burn the Ships” the title track off of their last release. The song kicks in with intense riffs and thick bass lines that have you moving along as vocalist Matt James tears into the first verse smoothly.
While the recent album was heavily present on the setlist, the band played a few older favorites off their debut album including “Open Road” and “Trouble on the Rise.” Drummer Nathan Gillis is madman behind the kit and flawlessly keeps the bands rhythm along with bassist Matt Curtis. Ryan Kiefer and Kenneth Irwin (guitar) are explosive, taking turns at the forefront shredding out and amping up the audience. The band is known to pull off some pretty killer covers, and while their “She Talks to Angels” version was raw and full of emotion, the band truly shined at the very end of the set. As the band kicked into the familiar tune of Aerosmith's “Dream On” the crowd went wild and sang along with James at the the top of their lungs.
Burn The Ships / End of Days / Trouble on The Rise / Open Road / Sweat / She Talks to Angels (The Black Crowes cover) / Where The Wind Blows / All Mine Now / It Won’t Last / Pyromaniac / Dream On (Aerosmith cover)
