Concert Review: Dixie Echoes

We did manage to make it to the Dixie Echoes concert last night.  We arrived a few minutes late (give me a break, i have a 3 year old and an 18 month old!), but I’m guessing that the DE’s were singing their opening tune.  The church was fairly small, but I would guess the crowd was around 100-150, not bad for a Thursday night with school in session.

Here’s the setlist (I had to guess at some song titles):

• I’ll Be Ready
• Miracles Will Happen
• Newborn Feeling
• House Of The Lord
• How Big Is God
• Just A Little While – Piano solo
• Until You Find The Lord
• On The Other Side Of Jordan
• Devil And His Old Suitcase
• Walk With Me
• I’m Going To Move To The Sky
• If We Never Meet Again (with the hymnal)
• Little Is Much

Intermission

• Welcome Home My Child
• Just A Little Talk With Jesus
• So Many Reasons
• River Of Jordan
• Who Am I
• It Is No Secret

This was a very enjoyable concert, as the entire concert was performed with two microphones, piano, and bass on a little more than half of the songs.  These guys have a really good sound.  Much is made about the Dixie Echoes doing the whole “vintage quartet” experience instead of the normal 4 mics, tracks, stacks, and what have you, but the thing that gets lost in the stylistic discussion is this: to pull of a concert like this, you have to be REALLY good musically.  There is no orchestration or stack to hide behind vocally.  The Dixie Echoes pull this off marvelously, and do a lot of tight modern harmony.  “Welcome Home My Child” sounded really good, I’ve always liked that song.  Wesley Smith was very impressive last night, he isn’t the highest tenor on the circuit, but he sang with a suprising amount of power, and he has a very pleasing tone.  Pat Barker does a fine job, especially on songs where he sings the higher bass lines and includes the modern harmonies.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard “Who Am I” as a bass solo, but he did a wonderful job with it.  Randy Sr. did his usual fine job singing lead, and still has some incredible range, especially showcased on the spiritual “Devil And His Old Suitcase”.  He also does a great job as MC, with the right balance of humor, yet knows how to turn the concert to a more serious, spiritual tone at the right times.   Scoot handled the baritone line admirably, and really has the most difficult part to sing, as he had a lot of the actual modern harmony notes, with Barker on one of the basic chord notes and Scoot right next to him adding in a 6th, 9th or the like.  The group’s ability to pull the tight harmonies off is very, very impressive.  Stewart Varnado displayed his perfect grasp of how to accompany a group.  His piano playing was spectacular, and provided the ideal backing for the vocals.  I actually missed most of his piano solo, as I had to tend to my son, which was disappointing, as what I did hear sounded great.  This was a very enjoyable night with some great singing.  Be sure to go see the Dixie Echoes if you have the chance.  You’ll be glad you did.