It was a night of rock n’ roll. High energy, crowd-pumping, electric guitar wailing rock n’ roll.
Yes, the walls, neon signs, and patrons alike were left buzzing at 3rd and Lindsley here in Nashville this past Friday night, as New Orleans cult favorite rockers Cowboy Mouth threw down.
But before the stage was graced with their espresso-in-the-veins presence (“the name of the band is…” they repeatedly shout throughout), a fellow New Orleans band called Lvvers opened. I will try not to over-express the fact that both acts were full tilt rah-rah energy from the starting gun, but damn was it ever.
Lvvers front man very much poured himself into rock star mode, as if he had a tiny mountain of cocaine in the green room he was nursing prior. Constant pacing, gesturing, and attempts to pump the crowd up at every turn — but again very much an A for effort. The band was tight for certain, and let loose a cover of The Weeknd’s hit song “Blinding Lights” which was fun, but might’ve went over better at a different venue in a different town.
Then it was (almost) time for the main event.
After ample tinkering with the drum platform which was slid front and center, the band appeared to mass applause. Cowboy Mouth indeed drew a plentiful crowd of eager fans who filled the space in front of the stage, and roared upon the first utterance.
I quickly learned the unique dynamic of the band, what with head honcho Fred LeBlanc on drums and vocals, and man is he a presence you can not ignore. His hard hitting style of drums, loud penetrating vocals, and near-constant crowd-pumping in between is something you’ll rarely if ever find elsewhere. Not to mention his attire looked like he just left the gym what with his shorter shorts and black T shirt — but it worked.
They kicked things off with a teaser of the classic New Orleans-fueled number, “Iko Iko,” and from there it was full-steam ahead into their intense display of sound pioneered by LeBlanc, who throughout his spats of singing and talking to the audience would just whip his drumsticks behind him, seemingly with an endless supply at his disposal.
It was a rock n’ roll party from the jump, with the crowd eating up every word and utterance of “Are you with me?” and the many positive affirmations throughout. It felt more like a sermon than anything at times, as LeBlanc had a televangelist-like strength in his voice along with his constant reassurances of being in the moment.
I quickly learned Cowboy Mouth’s signature is their interactive and crowd-friendly display, and LeBlanc and company never pulled their foot off the gas. It was clear they’d been doing this awhile, as there was never a dull moment or lull to be had.
Highlights included guitarist and other vocalist John Thomas Griffith taking the reins on their countrified cover of “Fat Bottomed Girls” which went over well. At one point during their song “Everybody Loves Jill,” also sung by Griffith, the crowd proceeded to hurl dozens of red spoons at the band, making for an unusual but fun spectacle.
Rounding out the heavy duty rock-meets-funk-meets-punk-meets soul sound was Brian Broussard on bass, and newest member and guitarist Frank Grocholski.
Cowboy Mouth formed in 1990 in New Orleans, and would soon draw devout followers to their raucous gumbo of sound. The notorious road warriors would later go on to sign with MCA, which saw the release of their major label debut, Are You With Me? The record spawned their biggest hit, “Jenny Says,” which cracked the Top 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Alternative Rock charts.
Cowboy Mouth has a new covers album dropping August 15th, in which “Fat Bottomed Girls” and The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” among other classics will be featured. The latter will be released as a single this Friday June 6th.
Upcoming Tour Dates For Cowboy Mouth
6/06 – Elkton, MD – Elkton Music Hall
6/07 – Reston, VA – Reston Concerts on the Town
7/11 – Chattanooga, TN – Barrelhouse Ballroom
7/12 – Huntsville, AL – Furniture Factory Bar & Grill
8/16 – Savannah, GA – Coach’s Corner (w/ The Ain’t Sisters)
8/17 – Isle of Palms, SC – The Windjammer (Sister Hazel’s The Hang)
10/9 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
10/10 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
10/11 – Plano, TX – Love & War in Texas
Featured photo by Adrienne Pacheco
