Dwight Yoakam - The CapitolTheatre, Sydney (31/10/06)

Wed 1st Nov, 2006 in Gig Reviews

Dwight Yoakam is 50 years old now. That may come as a surprise to anyone who attended his show at the Capitol Theatre on the 31st of October. The man still has the stamina of a person ½ of his age. If the crowd had danced, or stood up, they might have finished before Mr. Yoakam. (Yes, once again I complain about the lack of dancing or moving at Sydney gigs! “sigh”). For over two hours and 30 minutes Dwight and his very hot country and rock band sang songs about guitars, cars and broken hearts, of course.

Standing on a very simple stage with his four-piece band, Dwight tore through most of his infamous covers (‘Little Sister’, ‘Suspicious Minds’, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘Ring Of Fire’ to name a few) and the hits that make him one of the most recognisable men in a cowboy hat. Looking very slick in white cowboy boots and a tight fitting cowboy suit, Dwight yodeled and wailed and yelped his way through a catalogue of his 22 year old career.

Dwight’s powerful versions of Bakersfield honky tonk were played with style and guts. This music is more suited to a bar with sawdust and peanut shells on the floor then the staid Capitol Theatre, but you do what you ‘gotta’ do to hear international acts here in Australia. The band could transport you there very simply if you closed your eyes. A beer in hand would have come in handy, but as soon as the show kicked off, the concession stands closed.So there was no amber liquid (or even water) to loosen up the cowboy booted crowd.  Shame on you Capitol Theatre management!!

Joining Dwight on his 40 plus song  set list last night were the bright, clear sounds of Eddie Perez on guitar/mandolin, Kevin Smith on bass and  Josh Grange on a down home  pedal steel, banjo, keyboards and other stringed and un-stringed thangs! The entire band joined in on vocals where needed and the choir of cowboys was a beautiful thing to behold. Sitting there I imagined nights past where I heard the Flying Burrito Brothers, Commander Cody, and/or the New Riders of the Purple Sage in full seventies country rock mode. Blazing guitars, pedal steel and country harmonies are something you don’t here very often these days. Only a fiddle was missing, but the use of accordion once in awhile more then made up for that small deficiency.

Dwight did the rock-a-billy thing. He did the country AND western  thing too as he dipped into many of his releases, but selections from his recent release Blame The Vain and Guitars and Cadillacs  were heavily featured. ‘Act Naturally’ and ‘Streets of Bakersfield’ were part of his 4 song tribute to his recently deceased close friend and influence Buck Owens. That segment brought a little tear to this reviewer’s eye, the old sook that I am. The stories and the songs throughout the night gave us an impressive display of a musician and a man at the peak of his talents. And of course Dwight with a swivel, a shake or a tip of his hat had the ladies yelling for more. Let’s hope Dwight makes his way back to our sunburnt country more often.