Lightnin’ Malcolm | The Nashville Bridge

Luther Dickinson, North Mississippi Allstars, Cannery Ballroom 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Hill Country Meet Me In The City!

Mississippi was represented by Luther & Cody Dickinson bringing North Mississippi Allstars to the Cannery Ballroom during this year’s Americana Music Festival on September 19^th with solid slide and Hill Country influenced tones.

Turn it to 11 Luther – North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

They released their seventh album World Boogie Is Coming [A Bukka White term]in September which was produced by themselves at their own Zebra Ranch Studios in Coldwater, MS, aside from a day in the studio with Robert Plant (and his harmonica) at Memphis’ legendary Royal Studios. The Dickinson Brothers did it with the help of long-time friends, Lightnin’ Malcolm, Duwayne and Garry Burnside, Kenny Brown, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Sharde Thomas, Chris Chew, Sid and Steve Selvidge, Plant and others.

Lightnin Malcolm, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Stud, Grandson of T Model Ford, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

The current line-up feature well known Hill Country Blues Guitarist, Lightnin’ Malcolm on Bass, as well as a spotlight with Lightnin’s current two man juke joint drummer, Stud, Grandson of T Model Ford on a couple of tunes adding extra percussion to new tune “Shimmy.”

Luther Dickinson – North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

It’s hard to believe that North Mississippi Allstars has been around since 1996. They established themselves bringing current great players from the most current Mississippi scene to the stages of Bonnaroo and other festivals.

Lightnin Malcolm switching to guitar, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

It all started about the time that Fat Possum started exposing Hill Country Blues to the world with the newest originator, Junior Kimbrough as well as the electronic re-mixes that went viral around the world of R.L. Burnside that featured a young Grandson, Cedric Burnside on drums.

Luther switches off to Bass, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery, photo – Brad Hardisty

North Mississippi Allstars may have been what the great promoter; Bill Graham would have envisioned when he would put bills together in the 60’s at The Fillmore West that included blues great Muddy Waters and others along with the Modern San Francisco scene. The band is carrying that tradition along and looking at all avenues to explore and keep the Blues “in-play.”

Luther on 2 strings and a can – North Mississippi Allstars, photo – Brad Hardisty

Mississippi vibe was in the house especially when Luther picked up his electrified Diddley Bow and did “Rollin & Tumblin.”

The Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

The Cannery Ballroom provided great acoustics and an intimate venue of 1000 or so fans that really enjoy music.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridgeathotmail.com

Last Friday night, after trying to figure out how to get from West End across the I-24 construction zone to East Nashville on surface streets (can you say, “Where the hell am I?”), I barely made it in the door at 11 PM, at The 5 Spot in Five Points for the CD Release Party, get near the stage, Ben Lowry (guitar) glances up and then Abby Hairston (drums) says, “Brad! Ya Made it!” and Bang Ok Bang starts into one of the loudest sets I have heard at The 5 Spot.

Bang Ok Bang/ The 5 Spot – Photos – Brad Hardisty

Bang Ok Bang, is the latest project that puts Ben on guitar instead of Bass with The One Through Tens (The 1-10’s) where Abby also rocks on the skins.

This is a lot heavier and a little more insane then The One Through Tens.

Bang Ok Bang joins the A-list Nashville two man bands, The White Stripes (RIP), The Black Keys and Jeff The Brotherhood. The only difference is Bang Ok Bang would be a great opener for somebody like Queens Of The Stone Age or Slayer.

Ben puts a twist on Chet Atkins picking style by covering the low end through an Ampeg Bass rig, with some gnarly snaking fuzzy bass lines a la Vincebus Eruptum, with stripped down Ministry- influenced- at- Motorhead speed chords and notes through a Marshall.

The only other player I have seen that simultaneously can play the low end and the chords and melody like a total fake out is Lightnin’ Malcolm, the bad ass one-half of the 2 Man Wrecking Crew with Cedric Burnside.

How does the two-man-heavy-stoner rock go over at The 5 Spot? Well, the room was packed where they were the third band up and everybody pulled away from the bar and crowded the stage, grinning and kind of thinking, “Is this guy really pulling off Dickie Peterson and Al Jourgensen at the same time?”

Hey Mr. Marshall meet Mr. Ampeg and try to keep up with Abby. Abby was a solid Bill Ward influenced box beater going from kick to heavy thrashing of the Toms between solid grooves and stoner prog breaks.

With songs like “Above The Surface”, the tender titled “Always For You”, not to be confused with an Everly Brother’s number and “Chemicals Pt. 1 & 2”, I think it is time to pull a two man band festival.

Okay, bring back The White Stripes one more time and let’s have Lightnin’ Malcolm & Cedric Burnside, Jeff The Brotherhood, The Black Keyes and Bang Ok Bang all on the same bill at The Ryman. I would pay $100 to see that show.

Ben’s vocals are what you see is what you get punk rock ethos. I don’t think he could pull off a Josh Stone or Freddie Mercury anyways. Hey, but that’s okay, it’s dang close to Blue Cheer with a healthy Ministry grinding to keep heavy freaks and East Nashville hobnobbers showing up at the same venue kind of like a Crema Cuban Triple Espresso with a Rooster’s Texas style Brisket Sandwich with all the spicy 911 Jack’s BBQ sauce you can handle.

If I had to compare them to any regional scene band it would be Black Tusk out of Georgia witnessing a little “Hillbilly Voodoo” at a Southern Gothic movie convention in Cordova, Alabama with Ministry providing the soundtrack, Juicifer providing cocktails and Henry Rollins on vocals.

I picked up the “limited to 150” new EP CD and it sounds great. Four songs to irritate office workers as you roll down the window of your Ford Fiesta and crank it full volume. I have number 86/150 and I won’t take less then 5K for it okay, so don’t even ask. If you want yours, you better show up for their next set at The Zombie Shop on July 27^th.

Bang a gong, get it on!

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

North Mississippi Allstars At Cannery

Hill Country Meet Me In The City!

Mississippi was represented by Luther & Cody Dickinson bringing North Mississippi Allstars to the Cannery Ballroom during this year’s Americana Music Festival on September 19^th with solid slide and Hill Country influenced tones.

Bang Ok Bang CD Release at 5 Spot

North Mississippi Allstars At Cannery

Hill Country Meet Me In The City!

Mississippi was represented by Luther & Cody Dickinson bringing North Mississippi Allstars to the Cannery Ballroom during this year’s Americana Music Festival on September 19th with solid slide and Hill Country influenced tones.

Bang Ok Bang CD Release at 5 Spot

Mississippi was represented by Luther & Cody Dickinson bringing North Mississippi Allstars to the Cannery Ballroom during this year’s Americana Music Festival on September 19^th with solid slide and Hill Country influenced tones.