Live music review: Dwight Yoakam in Lake Charles

A friend told me the loudest concert he’d ever seen was Dwight Yoakam. I considered this, as I knew he had also seen a number of hard rock shows, heavy metal, and rap. I regarded the beer in my hand as Kentucky-born singer took the stage, then as he plowed through three songs like a runaway train, I decided the loudest show I’ve ever been to is Dwight Yoakam. He played the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, Louisianna on September 21.

When it comes to Yoakam, you are either a fan or you are not. Rarely is there a middle ground. He carries his beloved Bakersfield sound proudly. He spent part of the show paying homage to some of those who came before him, originating the Rockabilly/Country genre associated with  California. He tastefully covered some Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. He performed songs of The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Eagles.

Yoakam wore his trademark patent leather white boots. He danced all over the stage, raising his guitar as if he were twirling beautiful woman across the floor. His band, The Bakersfield Beat, can play the very devil out of their instruments, filled up every bit of silence their bandleader left open. Four-fifths  of them were clad in unmatched sequined suits, while the drummer appeared to have wandered into the gig directly from a recently canceled Kid Rock tour. Together they never dropped a note, missed a beat, and always played with the same fierce energy, which propelled Yoakam in his 360 twirls around the center of the stage. All the while, the crowd roared their approval. They danced, rose to their feet and sang along, as we were all carried away by the powerful energy being created.

On guitar and mandolin we had Eugene Edwards. Jamison Hollister handled duties on mandolin and accordion. Eric Baines played bass, and Mitchell Marine on drums. Not to mention Yoakam, who knows his way around a guitar. Collectively it’s an impressive group of players.

Yoakam and The Bakersfield Beat performed an impressive number of his hits, ranging from “The Streets of Bakersfield”, “Guitars, Cadillacs”, the Johnny Horton hit of yesteryear, “Honky-Tonk Man” (also a hit for George Jones), and a collection of other songs all moved in one after the other with barely a break between songs. He pulled out a few new tracks from his newest offering, promised to be released next year.

Yoakam’s show was honest, while generating enough energy to light up a major city. At sixty-two, he is a veteran of the music business. He knows how to not only please an audience, but how to work one like a seasoned pro. He drives his fans into frenzy. He stopped in the middle of a song to sign autographs. He knew just when to scoot his white boots across the stage and flash the sequined design across the back of his blue jean jacket. He held out for the longest request for an encore I have seen. People were stomping on the floor, cheering, yelling, all in an effort to get Yoakam to come back out with his guitar and keep the moon up in the sky for just one more song, keeping the night alive just a little longer. His showmanship yielded only to his masterful interpretation of his own songs. His voice cracked just where he wanted it to and wrapped itself around rockabilly poetry.

Yoakam is on his game professionally.  He’s not the chart topper he once was as during the heyday of the mid-1980s to the mid 90s. But the singer is far from the twilight of his career and is perhaps living in a near perfect time. It takes a special kind of talent to rock out country songs and cover Elvis tunes more soulfully than the king. But that’s Yoakam to a T.

Dwight Yoakam will be playing the Nutty Brown Amphitheater in Austin on October 19 and the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio October 20 as part of his current tour with more dates scheduled through March. If you are already a fan, you have no reason not to take in one of his shows. If you are not yet a fan, one of his powerful and spirit filled performances will surely pull you into this self-described hillbilly’s circle.