Shooter Jennings
Words: Bryan Childs
Photo: Daniel Newcomb @ Blind Image Photography (blindimagephotography.com )

Appeared:
July 13, 2007
The State Theatre, St. Petersburg

You'll thank me after the hangover recedes.

As a frequent reader of the Hank III message board you quickly learn that there is beef between III and Shooter. I don't know either one of them, so I could give 2 shits, but to some people on there you must like one or the other. As a result, I've read a lot of Shooter sucks show reviews. I tried to block them out and go into the show merely as a fan of the music that had never managed to see him live. I'll never know if I went into that show with depressed expectations due to message board slander or not, but I do know that Shooter and the .357s blew away my expectations.

They took the stage a little after 9 o'clock.  The first thing I said to my wife was, "Looks like a scene right out of a movie about the Southern rock movement of the 70's," and she agreed.  Seemed fitting to me. While a lot of people label Shooter as "Country", I've always thought "Southern Revivalist Rock" fit better, and they just reinforced my opinion in a live setting.

The crowd honestly surprised me. I had not spoken to a single person outside of my wife in this area who knew who Shooter was, but judging from the sing-alongs, I needed to get a little more talkative. The crowd knew their Shooter; in fact, the only stuff that didn't get a full crowd harmony was the new material. Personally, I had a great time adding my part to the harmonies and left the show with a shit-eating grin that can only come from too many drinks and a great night.

Highlights of the night were "Electric Rodeo", "Lonesome Blues", Shooter's cover of "I Don't Think Hank Done it this Way", "Manifesto No. 2" and my favorite, "Hair of the Dog". Reduced expectations or not, I can tell you that the next time Shooter's band comes to town they will have one hell of a high water mark to live up to: their own. Fuck that country label, if you like the Southern rock sound, then check out Shooter next time he comes to town.