Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers
Words: Bryan Childs
Photos: Abby Chrysler

June 20, 2007
The Orpheum, Ybor City

Next time, be there.

Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers are one of my favorite bands, so every time they come to town I start to get nervous and excitable a week in advance. In the days leading up to the show, everyone from my cubicle neighbor to the tollbooth operator on the Skyway knows the whens, wheres, how muches of the show and an entire list of reasons why they should go. This time around was no different. I even guaranteed a great show on my music blog, ninebullets.net. I was not wrong...

Due to the rarest of rare events here in Tampa (show starting on time) I missed each and every opening act and walked in just as the Shakers were finishing their first song.

The scene was familiar with newbies to LSS standing up front and veterans of their shows standing out of range of snot rockets and the occasional pubic hair tossing, but with their hand covering the top of their cups just in case they underestimated J.D.'s snot launching and pube tossing prowess. The bean-pole that is J.D. Wilkes preached to the crowd with a fire and brimstone to rival any Pentecostal preacher, sometimes using old-fashioned microphones or a harmonica with a frenzy that surprised everyone, rookie and vets alike. He was backed by his “choir”, featuring the ever-popular David Lee (guitarist), Mark Robertson (bass) and the new guy on drums banging out a gothic-rockabilly-polka version of southern rock/punk.

They played the crowd favorites such as “Agony Wagon”, “Blood on the Bluegrass”, “CB Song” and “Pinetree Boogie”. However, this time they also played a couple of new songs that, at least live, were a lot heavier than most of their previous material. 

Have you ever tried to tell someone a really funny story and when you were finished they just looked at you, so you drop the "you had to be there" gimmick? That's what trying to explain a Shack*Shaker show is like. You should have been there. An LSS show is part rock show, part circus sideshow, part tent revival, and for those lucky enough to witness them, they are never forgotten. This show was no different.