The Ain’t Sisters light up the Heartwood Soundstage
The Atlanta-based folk rockers came to Heartwood Soundstage for a show I’ve really been looking forward to. I saw them at one of the Spirit of the Suwannee festivals and they’ve become a crowd favorite there, including at the last Hulaween. I was curious to see if moving from an expansive outdoor festival stage to a more intimate listening room setting would change their energy, but it didn’t at all; they were kick-ass fun.
The opener was Swamp Cabbage, a genre defying veteran power trio led by former Richie Havens guitarist Walter Parks with bass player Matt Lindsay and hardcore drummer Jagoda. If I were forced to describe their music (which I am), it’s bluesy oriented southern rock, with a touch of Cream. Parks’s gruff bluesy vocals fit perfectly…and then he pulls out an amazing cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” which showcased his vocal skills. It was a fine set.
The Ain’t Sisters are one of the most dynamic and energetic bands I’ve seen in the past few years. Imagine the Indigo Girls on steroids and tanked up on Red Bull and you might get close. Barb Carbon and Arrie Bozeman are both great songwriters and they stick to original material. Bozeman provides the hot licks on both mandolin and electric guitar (at one point her mandolin screamed like a Telecaster, something I’ve never heard before). With a great rhythm section of Richie Jones on drums and Justin Boudreau on bass, the band never slows down and the audience loved it.
From the almost bluegrassy straightforward “Appalachian Wrecking Ball” and “Changes,” their set included the fine song “Horses” with great electric guitar; Bozeman’s heartfelt tribute to her dog (“Heart Shaped Rock”); and the tour de force “Wellers” that morphs from a soft R&B start to a blazing furnace in the middle and an anthemic conclusion. A new song, Carbon’s song “Heart” is an emotional ride with one of the great opening verses anywhere:
Help me
I’m on fire
I’m burning with desire
Keep your drinks and drugs
I’m all f*cked up on love
One thing for sure…. these guys love to play music. You can see it in their faces, their interactions with each other and the audience, and their stage presence. They are having fun…and so is their audience. Every time I’ve seen them, there’s a buzz about them. If you get a chance, make sure you see them. They have a bunch of shows coming up, including at the Suwannee Spring Reunion in March. Check the links below for their schedule.
Ain’t Sisters
Website and Tour
Swamp Cabbage
Website
Heartwood Soundstage