Saturday night I had the great fortune to see Dwight Yoakam play a sold-out show at Stubb’s. Thanks to my membership with Ecology Action of Austin, I attended for free on what would’ve been a $32.50 ticket. Picture courtesy of my co-worker Sean (this is why optical zoom blows away digital every time too).
Now hold on, I’m sure what’s going through your head is “Maggi? Attending a Country music concert? That Texas living has finally gotten to him! He’s probably taking line-dancing lessons, shopping for a Stetson hat and finding himself tuning in to KVET. The horror, the horror!” No, Dwight is Country but not Country, as in the product of the Nashville factory system that produces low-brow, jingoistic, mullet-headed, my-country-right-or-wrong trash. Sure, Dwight sings about relationships gone South and bad luck, but he’s more sincere and not cranking it out on a template. Besides, he also likes to play covers of his influences, which he did last night. He sang Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” and Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (for the encore) as well as a couple John Prine songs and “Little Sister” (no idea who started that song, I always remember Robert Plant and El Vez doing it). These covers aren’t lame crossovers to appeal to a wider audience like Pat Boone does. To me, they’re tributes and demonstrations to how Country used to be joined at the hip with early Rock n’ Roll.
I digress. Austin has a special place in Dwight’s heart too. He has always received an enthusiastic crowd here and he had the big break in his earlier career opening for the Blasters 20 years ago (see, he was an opener for a Rockabilly group). However, like Willie and Lyle, he has fallen out of favor with Country radio so he remains a favorite of people who consider him a Country artist who isn’t Country. Sounds as logical as the Nazis calling their Japanese allies the non-Ayran Ayrans.
Regardless of my lame rationalizations, Dwight packed the venue to the gills. Kept the crowd going and never disappointed. His swag was a bit pricey but I think that he’s more on his own now that he’s with a much smaller label after years with one of the Big Five. If paying a bit more for a really colorful, well-designed t-shirt covers his expenses so he can maintain his musical vision, then I’m all for it.
If you want to check out more of his stuff, don’t waste your time with CMT or the radio, you won’t find him easily. Find his greatest hits CD on the Rhino label since those are lovingly compiled by music fanatics, not bean counters. Video? Rent his now available 1988 ACL appearance, that’s the only answer I have. However, be warned. Dwight could be a gateway that may lead to you listening to Lyle Lovett, Maria McKee, Raul Malo and the Mavericks, Rosanne Cash and Junior Brown. Next thing you know, you’ll be checking out Dwight’s idols (who are also adored in Austin), Buck Owens and Johnny Cash!