Hootie and the Blowfish Live in Charleston
(2006) Sneaky Long Records
For more than 10 years Hootie and the Blowfish have been one of the premiere bands with their blues, soul, bluegrass, rock infusion music. Their blend of influences, along with Darius Rucker’s incomparable voice, make their music both a homage to the past and startlingly modern. Seeing Hootie and the Blowfish live reminds us why they went from a college band to international stars. They still play live with joy for the music, and the appreciative crowd from their hometown Charleston, South Carolina, loves them for it.
With an introduction from Samuel L. Jackson, the band plays songs from their latest CD, Looking for Lucky (2005), including “State Your Peace” and the crowd favorite, “Hey Sister Pretty.” Truth be told, I am such a Hootie fan that I love all of their songs, but one of my very favorites, “Desert Mountain Showdown,” is one of the best modern tributes to bluegrass music I’ve ever heard. I love the live version because of the quicker tempo and extra swing to its step. Darius’ live rendition of “Let Her Cry” is superb, as well, as he plays with the lyrics and sings with great feeling. Other great live versions on this CD are “Hold My Hand,” “I Go Blind,” and “Go and Tell Him.” There is a strong, clean sound to this live album that sometimes gets lost on other live albums where the sound can be compromised. Hootie and the Blowfish don’t just mechanically play their songs live the way they were recorded as other acts can. Listening to the CD you can hear the quicker rhythms, the improvisations with the music and the lyrics. You can hear their energy come alive through the CD, and this CD captures everything that I love about this band.
If you haven’t seen Hootie and the Blowfish live—go. If you can’t get to them, then this CD (and the accompanying DVD version) is the next best thing.