David Allan Coe: A Honky Tonk Brawler

By Rob Greenwell

Webster's dictionary defines an experience as anything observed or lived through. Well, that may be true, but I am here to tell you that a real experience is seeing David Allan Coe live in concert. David Allan Coe fans are good folks who come out to have a good time and tend to have a shade of crimson on the back of their necks. Coe also attracts bikers, and there was a large contingent of them at this show. When you attend a live D.A.C. show, what you see are a lot of hell-raisin', whiskey drinkin' good ole boys and girls who don't mind if they happen to stumble into a fight.

Don't come to this show is you are expecting a high quality vocal performance from Coe. However, you can expect to take a walk through some of the best country and Southern rock songs you ever read. Coe covers all the Southern rock essential chestnuts: "Can't you See," "Midnight Rider," etc. He also performs what his fans want to hear, including "If that Ain't Country," "Jack Daniel's, If You Please," "The Ride," "Longhaired Redneck," and, of course, his signature song, "You Never Even Called Me By My Name".

Coe's ability to rile up a redneck crowd with his songs is legendary, so every person in at the Coyote's show was ready to do some serious hell raisin'. He also covered a couple of songs from his labelmates, Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker. Yes, you read this correctly: he covered "Only God Knows Why" by Kid Rock, and "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker. (I guess this was one of the prerequisites for him to join Kid Rock's Label.) I know what you are thinking: "How did he do on these songs?" Well, they were mediocre at best, but again, that's not what's important. What is important is the party, the walk through history, and the "Real Life" feel of his songs that is of utmost important to the patrons at a David Allan Coe concert.

Opening the show was a local/regional artist, Dallas Moore. He fits the image of a "Hell-Raisin' Redneck" who likes to drink whiskey, sing songs about frog-giggin, and having a good ole time. His songs are well-written, and are good songs for the type of crowd at this show. In short, a solid opener for David Allan Coe.