The Dead South started out as a grunge band before picking up banjos and mandolins to become instead what they themselves term a “Rocking, stomping bluegrass band”. But is there a market in Bonn for bluegrass? rocking, stomping or otherwise?
2,500 people were present by 8 pm when the band went onstage at Bonn Kunstrasen, so the answer is maybe ‘jein’ (yes/no). Singer Nathaniel Hilts actually took a count of hands which revealed a sizeable collection of the audience actually had no idea what the band sounded like beforehand. Equally interesting was the number of people who had come from beyond Bonn – including a group in front of me proudly waving a banner proclaiming that they, like the band, were from Saskatchewan. It seems that if you like your bluegrass you are prepared to travel to hear it.
Being one of those local Bonn visitors who knew nothing about The Dead South myself I was pleasantly surprised. Songs about shady deeds, shady deals and even shadier deaths are the lyrical territory of Dead South’s music. Clad in attire (wide brimmed hats, white shirts and braces) that would have you pretending not to be in if they turned up at your door for fear of being coerced into buying a set of bibles, they actually turn out to have an invisible cloak of what I can only describe as ‘punk attitude’.
The present band personnel is actually the original formation. Two members left and came back again, one for reasons best not discussed here. What matters is that the quartet onstage this evening have a musketeer-like ‘all for one and one for all’ persona about them. Even grabbing a refreshment drink during the set seems to be a collective band event.
A very enjoyable set, although it took me a while to make out the lyrics. Whether that was my ears or the sound mix I don’t know for sure. I do know that we were halfway through the evening before I started to really follow the words. Not that you necessarily needed to understand the lyrics to enjoy the set. The music itself has a wonderful dynamic of its own, often starting with a quiet mandolin passage before haring fiercely into a pogues-like jig, propelled along when necessary by the judicious use of a footdrum (courtesy of banjo man Colton Crawford) for added oomph when required.
The set-list itself was a good mix from all the band’s previous discs. Personal favourites for me tonight were ‘Broken Cowboy’ from 1999’s ‘Sugar & Joy’ and inevitably the irresistibly commercial ‘In Hell I’ll be in good company’ from the 2014 disc of that name. I couldn’t take a whole concert of synchronized dancing to the songs, but watching Hilts and Scott Pringle ambling back and forth to the melody and clapping just to this one was hypnotic, and just try stopping yourself clapping or whistling to the very end. Songs taken from the latest release ‘Chains & Snakes’ showed that The Dead South are still very much at the height of their creative powers and capable of both writing good story songs and creating catchy hooks to hang them on.
Audience interaction was limited and only from Nathaniel Hilts, but I did enjoy his dry humour. “Please clap along and cheer at the end of this next one even if you don’t like it. You only need to do it this once. After this song it’s up to you” or his answer to calls for ‘Joey’ (their version of Concrete Blonde’s 1999 hit): “No we’re not playing Joey tonight. But please come along to our next concert where I’m sure we will play it!” he smiles with that glint that would have had that collection of bibles bought and sold.
Much too soon, but after a respectable 90+ minutes, the show is over. Just time for the band to have a selfie on the stage and clap hands in a high-five style that could easily have held muskateer rapiers. Time for the ‘four who are one’ to head off for more adventures involving shady deeds and shady deals. I’m looking forward to the band’s next release already!
Support band for just this show were the intriguingly named Rob Heron & the Teapad Orchestra. The mention of tea will give a clue as to their English origins, though when suitably quiffed singer Rob gets the songs underway you would be forgiven for thinking he had Tennessee roots. It’s odd that there are many musicians in the UK who love playing 50’s era rockabilly and just as many keen fans who love to hear it over there, but here in Germany it’s a genre that doesn’t seem to have quite the same level of popularity. A shame really, in a Land where there seem to be more coverbands of 70’s and 80’s music than you can shake a stick at. Maybe the odd Eddie Cochran , Bill Haley or even Elvis cover band would be a welcome relief in Bonn.
