WAMC Performing Arts Studio
News and Reviews
| ROCKING, RIGHTEOUS HOLMES BROTHERS BRING IT HOME By Michael Eck, Special to the Times Union (First published in the Times Union of Albany, NY: Monday, February 2, 2004) Perhaps because it was Saturday night, the Holmes Brothers made sure to take it to the church before they took it to the juke joint. After all, the Holmes Brothers know it's not that long a journey from Saturday night to Sunday morning, especially when you've got a guitar in your hand. The Holmes have long been favorites in the area, and they made their WAMC Performing Arts Center debut Saturday, playing before a packed house of appreciative fans who were equally comfortable with the gospel numbers and the gritty blues. Wendell Holmes began the evening at the piano, saying "We're going to be rocking in a few minutes, but we're going back home right now," as he launched into a trio of gospel tunes that was capped off with drummer Popsy Dixon stepping to the front of the stage to absolutely dazzle the crowd with a righteous take of "Precious Lord." When the quartet did get to rocking, they sure did it right. The Holmes Brothers freely mix R&B, rock, blues and country into an effortless American mix that's chock-full of rhythm, harmony and serious soul. They also are fiercely eclectic, so it was no surprise that Saturday's set list jumped from Jimmy Reed's "Big Boss Man" to Collective Soul's "Shine" to Gillian Welch's "Everything Is Free." All of the latter are taken from the band's latest exemplary disc, "Simple Truths," and the band quickly sold out of their supply during the break. Dixon was breathtaking on Welch's tune, with his eerie falsetto taking the song to new planes of the ethereal. Bassman brother Sherman added a rough edge to "Speaking in Tongues." And Wendell smiled as he sang the stuffing out of songs like "Run Myself Out of Town" and Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee." Wendell also dazzled everyone with his consummate guitar skills. Solos in "That's Where It's At" and "Any Way You Want" were virtual primers in six-string strut. Wendell used volume swells, percussive picking, Cornell Dupree-style strumming and a mix of broken chords and single string runs to create genuine drama. His delicious clean, reverb-laden Stratocaster sound cut right through Dixon And Sherman's funky pulse. The quartet was filled out by rhythm guitarist Angel Acevedo, whose sound was low in the mix but provided a creamy Pop Staples-like shimmer nonetheless. A few more spirituals proved to be the biggest crowd pleasers of the evening. Wendell and Popsy shared verses on one of the finest renditions of "Amazing Grace" ever heard around these parts. And even folks with a questionable sense of time felt free to clap along on the infectious "Can't No Grave Hold My Body Down." Back to News and Reviews |
| Used with permission of the Times Union of Albany, NY. Re-use rights may not be assigned to a third party without prior written permission from the Times Union. |