Reverend Horton Heat (James Heath) have been tearing up the road since 1985 and never letting go of the pedal. Along with Jimbo Wallace and Jonathan Jeter, this tight-knit trio keeps the rockabilly sound alive and thriving. Their non-stop touring ensures everyone gets a piece of that fast, raucous sound that just makes you feel youthful and wired for more. If you’ve followed the band over the years you know the high-octane formula, but when they throw in something unexpected — like covers of Crazy Crazy Lovin’ (Jim Carroll) and Lights Out (Jerry Byrne) — it raises the excitement to another level. Between the playful banter of James and Jim and the rip-roaring musicianship, it was the songs that left your heart full and your feet aching.
Direct support on this tour came from Black Joe Lewis, a trio that delivered the Texas boogie we all love, channeling flashes of Stevie Ray Vaughan intertwined with that classic three-bar blues grit.
Opening the evening were the Piñata Protest — think Tex-Mex punk powered by an accordion. The punk and ska elements were front and center, but that accordion made you want to polka, and with singer Alvaro Del Norte switching between English and Spanglish, they served up a lively, bilingual party to kick the night off right.
