In the days of my youth I often lamented that Huntsville was a dead town. That broad criticism was applied to two specific laments: no band worth seeing ever played here and I couldn't get a date at gunpoint (which in retrospect may not have been the best approach to dating in the first place, but...). My interests were simple: music and girls, girls and music. I didn't need drugs, I didn't like cars, I didn't care about clothes. Not much has changed.
I got older. I got married. One area corrected itself, the other stopped mattering to me as much not because I quit enjoying live music but because I became more and more of a homebody. Bands weren't coming to Huntsville, and why should they? This isn't a major market and there were three good ones that were a reasonable drive from here. As years went by those reasonable drives seemed less reasonable. First, it was the explosion of ticket prices. Then it was the dreaded day job, making a quick midweek jaunt to Nashville or Atlanta seem impractical rather than a carefree adventure. My heart was willing, my body, mind, and pocketbook weren't.
There was an initial surge of excitement when I found out Nick Moss & The Flip Tops were coming to Huntsville because finally a band whose music I love was coming to my town. What could be simpler? Could there be any less of a no-brainer than Nick Moss in Huntsville? Maybe. I refrained from writing about it because I was just as sure as sure could be that my anti-social side would rear its ugly head and I'd chicken out of going and I didn't want to call my shot and then wuss out.
It turns out I know myself pretty well because two hours before showtime I was sitting in my apartment looking for excuses not to go. It also turns out I can surprise myself because I forced myself to leave the house; I was richly rewarded.
It wasn't billed as "An Evening With Nick Moss & The Flip Tops" but that is indeed what it turned out to be, and it made what was always going to be an enjoyable evening all the more memorable.
I arrived about an hour before showtime. I found a table not far from the stage and quickly recognized Flip Top drummer Bob Carter. Carter's profile on the cover of Moss' most recent studio album Play it 'Til Tomorrow — a fantastic record, I hasten to add — is unmistakable. As he assembled his kit, multi-instrumentalist Gerry Hundt and keys man "Piano" Willie Oshawny also went to work setting up their gear on a stage that wasn't much larger than a deck of cards.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Great review on what sounds like a fine evening Josh. Sounds like your informal relationship with these guys paid some dividendes as well.
Its also nice to know that there still are a few places left In America where they won't string you up to a noose for having a smoke.
Great stuff.
-Glen
2 - Mat Brewster
great review, Josh. Sounds like an incredible night.
3 - Allen From Altanta
Nice review. Last night, June 13th, my lady and I saw Nick and the FTs at Darwin's Blues Club in Atlanta; that was after an early week trip to Chattanooga (Riverbend Fest) for an evening FT show in the heat. If you love the blues, you owe it to yourself both to see Nick, as well as listen to his recorded performances. Most are live and capture the magic he conveys on stage. Nick and the band work hard at carrying on the tradition of Chicago blues. The gig at Darwin's was absolutely incredible.
4 - Josh Hathaway
Thanks, gents. It was a fantastic evening of great music and conversation. It was an affirmation of so much of what I love about music. There are still people out there who do it well and do it for the right reasons and it was really something to behold. I haven't had that much fun in a very long time and I was uplifted by it.
Allen, so glad you got the chance to see Nick last night and up in Chattanooga. If my work schedule hadn't prevented it, I came very close to driving down to City Stages in Birmingham to see the headlining set they're doing on one of the stages this evening. This was my first Flip Tops show, it won't be my last.
5 - Joanie
Congratulations on getting up off your ass and getting out to support live blues! The reason it's so hard to get quality acts booked is for the very same reason that almost kept you home. Stay home, and the bands and the venues make no money. Go, and you run the risk of having fun.
Like you, the price of tickets kept me from attending many concerts over the years, especially once I had kids. However, the great news is that most blues bands aren't booked at big venues (unless your name is Clapton or Santana or B.B.) and the tickets are generally more affordable. This excludes any venue that's a part of the Live Nation family.
Here, I can generally catch a show for under $20. Since I try to go to many shows and have been involved with the blues society, I often receive a discount. Email me, Josh, and I share another fun little secret about affordable concert going. Can't give away my secrets to the world, can I?