Black Stone Cherry @ Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO

Words and photos by Duane Clawson
“Cause I’m an old-time rambler.  I call the road my home.  Forgive my indiscretion, it’s the only way I know.  A million miles from Kentucky, but I will always be around.  So turn the radio up when your heart breaks down.”  - "The Rambler"

Where is America’s last rock band you might ask?  Well luckily, they are currently on tour in support of their new album, Kentucky, and they call themselves Black Stone Cherry.

As lead singer Chris Robertson mentioned, Black Stone Cherry has been doing it their way for the past fifteen years.  And ten of those fifteen years have been spent touring the world and making a living doing what they do:  playing rock and roll!

It was a tough night to be playing rock and roll for a living in St. Louis, as the St. Louis Blues hockey team was in the midst of a playoff battle and the St. Louis Cardinals were in town.  So as you can see, attentions may have been elsewhere.  But nonetheless, an oversized, small audience got to witness a great rock show.

As the Black Stone Cherry crew scurried about polishing up the stage, I spoke to a young man that was standing nearby.  He explained that he was a huge Black Stone Cherry fan and this was his 18th birthday.  This gave me a small glimmer of hope that the youth of America were not all listening to the auto-tuned foolishness that currently floods the airwaves.

“Me and Mary Jane” provided the powerful, opening punch that was anticipated.  From there, it was a non-stop thrill ride of rock!  Showing no signs of aging or that being on the road for ten years has worn on him at all, guitarist Ben Wells leaps around stage like a rabbit that has consumed a gallon of Red Bull.  Not to be outdone by anyone in the band, drummer John Fred Young keeps time on the skins with the ferocity of a junkyard dog.

The band covers five songs from the new album in their set.  From the sinful grind of “Soul Machine” to the atoning ballad, “The Rambler”, Black Stone Cherry leaves no mood untouched with the new material.  I personally was impressed, as was singer Chris Robertson, as he gave kudos to the Old Rock House audience when the band performed two acoustic songs back to back, and those in attendance actually paid attention to the music.  A rare feat at most concerts these days!

To put an exclamation point on this stellar night of music, the band finished extremely strong with “White Trash Millionaire”, “Blame It on the Boom Boom”, and a nod to Motörhead, performing a Lemmy-approved rendition of “Ace of Spades”.  When I see a band like Black Stone Cherry I sometimes feel like Columbus discovering America, but it’s not really a discovery, it’s just me yearning for the way it used to be.  Oh, and before I forget, thanks to Soundtrapp for opening the show!  Thanks, as always, to Old Rock House for keeping it live and to Black Stone Cherry for sharing your world with MTC MAG!  Photos of the show are below:

Contributed by Duane Clawson
Black Stone Cherry @ Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO Black Stone Cherry @ Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor on June 06, 2016 Rating: 5
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