Sunday, November 9th was a dark and stormy night in the city of Chicago. A severe winter weather warning had been issued so there was some trepidation about heading downtown to see the Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band at Garcia’s.
But all these winter weather worries melted away immediately once we stepped into Garcia’s and got caught up in its groovy vibe. This Jerry Garcia inspired space is extremely inviting and offers guests great visual access to the featured acts. The acoustics are amazing, the drinks delicious, and we were excited to see this traveling band from Brown County, Indiana perform in such an intimate space.
I first saw Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band under markedly different circumstances. It was at the New Roxy in Clarksdale, Mississippi, an old theater with a partial roof and the sort of deep history that’s so prevalent in the birthplace of the blues. The Big Damn Band descends into Clarksdale every April as they are always a popular draw at the annual Juke Joint Festival.
Although Garcia’s is far removed from a Mississippi juke joint, Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band didn’t miss a beat as they put on a blistering blues show in an up close and personal atmosphere. But, in between the Reverend’s hot riffs, Breezy’s bad-ass washboard work and “Brother” Jacob Powell doing double duty on drums and buckets, they shared stories and good cheer on a chilly night.
Before the Big Damn Band took the stage, local singer/songwriter Al Scorch came on with a round of songs that resonated with dyed-in-the wool Chicagoans. This quintessentially Chicago fellow was described by NPR’s All Things Considered as “a composite sketch of all my favorite Midwestern drinking buddies” so it’s not surprising to find that he has a year-long residency at Chicago’s Hideout watering hole.
But, despite the “da Bears” persona and urban lumberjack look, Scorch presented several thought-provoking songs that ran the gamut from an ode to the Chicago hot dog to his “Working Dream” lament about the plight of often-overlooked blue collar workers. This “child of bricks and concrete mortar” put on a solid show that laid the groundwork for the featured act.
While Scorch might be the typical Chicago guy, the renowned finger-picker Reverend Peyton reflects his southern Indiana roots, right down to the trademark overalls and shirtless look. But despite this laid-back “aw shucks” demeanor, Peyton, his wife Breezy, and Powell put on a fast-paced show that was interspersed with riveting stories right down to the Rev’s unique guitar insights.
The band came out blazing with “My Old Man,” which featured some fine slide work from the Rev himself and cemented the band’s reputation as “the greatest front porch band in the world.” But this band doesn’t stay tethered to a particular front porch for long as they average about 250 show dates a year and have played in 38 countries and 48 states.
Although heavy travel is a hallmark of the Big Damn Band, they also seem to make friends on each tour stop. Scorch noted that how he enjoyed “hanging in the Green Room” with the band to “eat sandwiches and talk about Covid.” Both Scorch and Reverend Peyton were quick to thank the audience for coming out on such a miserable “school night.”
The guitar tech, Jake, almost didn’t make it to Garcia’s and it was revealed that he was rear-ended on his way to the show. But Jake showed up and allowed the Rev to show off a variety of vintage guitars including a 1938 Fender National, a 1959 Les Paul Double Cut, and a 1963 Firebird signed by none other than Johnny Winter. This was in addition to the arsenal of guitars that the Rev brought with him, including one that he “brought in pieces” at the age of nineteen.
Besides Reverend Peyton’s encyclopedic knowledge of various guitars, he and his band also displayed a deep understanding and appreciation for old-school blues artists. They did a fine rendition of LC Ulmer’s “Rounding Up Girls All Day” and had a musical nod to Jesse Mae Hemphill’s “Jump Baby Jump.”
He also cited Johnny Winters as being “the reason why I started playing guitar” due to his dad being a big fan of the man. He added that Winters inspired his “pinky finger” and proceeded to play some slide on “If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day” from their latest release, Honeysuckle.
Whether they were breaking out new material or playing popular cuts from their extensive catalog, Reverend Peyton’s hot licks, along with Breezy’s fiery washboard and Powell’s driving beat made for one big damn sound and turned out to be the perfect way to chase the old Chicago “hawk” away.
