Girl at the Rock Shows

I get to see a lot of different music by doing this blog, and I love it. I’ve seen it all, your standard rock and punk, all the way to experimental noise and free-form jazz. I’d like to say that I dabble in every scene, but the scene I fell into when walking into The Hook & Ladder on Wednesday night was a new-ish one to me. Don’t get me wrong. I know surf rock music. I have a playlist full of bands that take the surf rock sound and blend it with everything from punk to psychobilly, but I haven’t been to many monumental surf rock shows in my life. That meant there was a bassline of excitement inside of me as I walked into the cozy, community-run venue. I wouldn’t say I had high expectations. I was alone and didn’t know much of the music, but I knew that seeing a band like Los Straitjackets with Deke Dickerson joining in on the fun was going to be nothing short of spectacular, and I was right.

Let’s talk about Los Straitjackets first. Los Straitjackets is an instrumental band from Nashville, TN that has absolutely put some work in. With fourteen studio album, four collaboration albums, and eight live albums, on top of the fact that they seem to be touring consistently, it’s easy to say that Los Straitjackets is one of the hardest working bands out there right now. Although they seem to stop by the Twin Cities often, Wednesday night was my first chance at seeing these legends live. Their reputation preceded them. I still know very little about the members behind this band, as I don’t know the scene, and their signature luchador masks make it impossible for me to place an actual face (although it was easy to feel that I was watching true legends), but that’s not the point when it comes to this group. The point of Los Straitjackets is talent and fun, and that’s exactly what was in the spotlight on Wednesday night.

As if seeing the legends that are Los Straitjackets live wasn’t enough, the packed audience on Wednesday night was also treated to the spectacular sound and vibe of Deke Dickerson. Like Los Straitjackets, Deke is a legend. A Missouri boy who seems to have more of an ocean in his veins than probably some Californians, Deke has been doing his thing for decades. He’s a brilliant guitarist to the point where the famed Reverend Horton Heat once stated that, “Deke Dickerson is the best rockabilly guitarist in the world!” I’m not going to try to sound cooler than I am. I had never heard of Deke Dickerson before this show, but within the first song that he was on stage for, it was easy to see why The Reverend Horton Heat would say something like that.

The partnership between Los Straitjackets and Deke Dickerson is a match made in heaven, and it goes way back. In 2014, the two collaborated on the album ‘Sings the Great Instrumental Hits!!!!!!’ That’s right, go ahead and let that sink in. Los Straitjackets, an instrumental band, invited Deke onto an album to sing to those legendary instrumental songs of theirs. Deke was quick to point out that this was a tough sell for Los Straitjackets fans, and I could understand why. If you like an instrumental band or sound (which, I’ll be honest, I typically don’t), you don’t want lyrics. That’s half the fun of it. So to have this guy add a slice of cheese to the tracks by adding vocals probably wasn’t the greatest idea, but it was an idea that has not only led to the butt end of many jokes but also to a harmonious collaboration that I got to witness up close and personal on Wednesday night.

The way that Deke’s voice blends in with the superb instrumentation of his own guitar and the rest of Los Straitjackets is truly perfection. The surf rock guitar tones feel bright and loose while Deke’s voice brings a subtle darkness to things, while keeping it all super lighthearted and fun. I found myself getting lost in the way everyone’s fingers were moving across the necks of their instruments. The sound that was coming out was slightly frantic and very fast, but their movements were smooth and, most of the time, super restrained. I’m not a guitar player. I never have been and never will be, so I don’t understand everything that was happening, but I know I was watching guitar royalty as I was watching Los Straitjackets and Deke Dickerson perform.

I love the way that Deke was clearly showcasing his talent, but at the same time, playing with the crowd. There was something so informal and fun about the way he would slowly raise his guitar towards the crowd or the way he would crack a self-deprecating joke that landed perfectly with the fans. I mean this with all of the love in my heart, but Los Straitjackets and Deke have every right to be cocky about their talent, and when you see them, you realize that they can absolutely just stand there and play without any personality, and you would be hooked, but that’s not what they did on Wednesday night. They didn’t just perform, they gave the packed audience a show, and it had me sold and then some.

Line Up:

Los Straitjackets

Deke Dickerson

Venue: The Hook & Ladder

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 48

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Deke Dickerson – 0

Los Straitjackets – 0

Show on Deck —Wild Colonial Bhoys / Danza Ketzal / Dropkick Murphys / Kiss the Tiger / Sophie Hiroko / Chutes / Obi Original / Shackletones / Laamar / Brass Solidarity

Shameless Self Promotion:

Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)

Check out my playlist HERE!