The Joel Harrison + Anthony Pirog Telecaster Tribute Band -- JVs - Mar 28 2015

Joel Harrison + Anthony Pirog - Two of Cuneiform Records finest guitarists team up for a real treat tonight. Most DCers are familiar enough with Anthony Pirog by now and he is joined by Joel Harrison who returns to his native city and chose to cook up a couple of sets of songs that he grew up with long ago. They have a veteran rhythm section of Jack O'Dell and John Previti laying down the foundation for their wild guitar excursions. Because even though this has a Link Wray styled country blues rock style, the guitarists take it up and outward several notches. They are both amazing stylists and comfortably work together as if they have been touring this for years. Yet the playfulness is there and their sense of fun comes through to the large crowd at this Falls Church club.

 photo from the show courtesy of Joyce at Cuneform Records.

They even do some Link Wray as well as tackling the vocals of the Hank Williams classic, 'Your Cheatin' Heart'. It is all familiar aside from the soloing, which would have had audiences of the fifties and early sixties fleeing in terror, like they did in those radiation monster movies of the day. And like when I saw Johnny A recently, Harrison added some drama by controlling the dynamics through volume shifts, which makes familiar material all the more exciting. They added some guest singers and keyboardists (an old high school pal) to add even more layers to their sound.  Great fun tonight.

And you have one more chance to see Joel Harrison in DC as he plays two sets tonight at the Bohemian Caverns on U Street. He will be doing a bit more of his unique genre bending style that he exhibits on his latest album, 'Mother Stump'. So don't expect Link Wray, but expect to be impressed by some superior guitar work.