It might make for interesting debate at some point to decide exactly how much of a live concert the listener brings with them to the show. Take this show for instance. By all rational measures, this was a typically great DBT show. Patterson was all over the stage with his copyrighted Southern Angst. Cooley was a guitar god drunk. The set was lively and well performed and a damned fine rock-n-roll spectacle to behold.

But I wasn't really in the mood for a show, to be perfectly honest. Perhaps I was in triptophan (?sp?) comedown, maybe it was the fact that I was more or less standing in the back of a crowded bar, drinking alone. (I went to this show all by my little Mally-mus lonesome.) My head wasn't really there, to be perfectly honest, and when it did manage to hone in on the present moment I kind of got the impression that I'd seen that show before. There wasn't any new material, that I could gather, and I've gotten familiar enough with the recorded catalogue and occasional rock opera number that they become atmospheric noise if I'm not concentrating.

And I wasn't concentrating. I wasn't taking notes in my head, as I do at many shows. I got there late and I left early. I probably lost some brownie points with the scene, but that's the deal on this one.

I was at a rock show to be at a rock show. It was a rock show. I realize that this is less than helpful to the prospective rock-show attendee who might be thinking of visiting this particular band in the future, so, in case you're looking for a recommendation-type thing, here it is: the Truckers always put on a good show, and most nights they put on a great show. All you have to do is show up for it, and you're usually guaranteed a rollickin' good time. Thing is, I only halfway showed up for this one, and that brings us back to the debate from our opening paragraph.

A couple of the Trucker's tunes are well suited for standing in the backs of bars and drinking alone, but I don't recall hearing any of those.

So, for what it's worth, there it is. I'll give the show 4 sponges, but mostly that rating is a reflection of my state of mind that Friday night more so than any real comment on the band's performance.