Tommy Malone, lead singer and guitarist, seems to me like Louisiana’s answer to Bob Seger. He smokes on the guitar, and his vocals are strong, resonant with the experience of years on the road. John Magnie, on keyboard and accordion, is the eccentric counterpoint to Tommy’s earthiness. John tickles me ‘cause with his long goatee he looks a little like Jefferson Davis – the Confederate President was supposedly a distant, shadowy branch on our family tree. At Monday night’s performance Jim Messa physically stayed more in the background, but to me his guitar work spoke deeply, richly and held its own with the other members’ more flamboyant styles. And back-up vocals and rhythm by Tim Cook and Steve Amedee certainly helped bring everyone together into a cohesive whole.These guys have been making music together for years in one iteration or another (at one point they were just “The Dudes”). Band members mix and match writing almost all their own songs, and their latest album is “Street Symphony,” released earlier this month with all post-Katrina material. They sprinkled the Ark performance with selections from the record, which has generated positive buzz for the quintet at the national level.
Monday night, as much as the subdudes had everyone stompin’ and hollerin’ (view clip), the quiet moments were my favorites. A little over an hour into their two-hour set, the band unplugged and wandered into the audience to perform a cappella, a bit of a ritual at their concerts. My friend and I had great seats on the aisle, and the subdudes wandered over to sing right next to us. “Play ‘The Rain!’” bellowed a guy behind us who had clearly had several Rolling Rocks. And as if the whole room couldn’t hear him, he shouted it three or four more times. Tommy “shushed” the guy, and the band eased into one of their gentlest, most subtle songs. Written by John and Tim, I especially like the following lyrics:
I wish that I could lay around all day with you
Listen to the rain pounding on the roof
But I’m in Oklahoma only half way home
Driving though I barely even see the road
I recorded it, but without the stage lights it was too dang dark – so here’s a video clip of the song from another performance. In a post-Katrina world, I wonder if the band finds their song about gentle, romantic rain somewhat ironic?
The subdudes are simply a great “everyman” band. And, short of a dive bar in Jefferson Parish, The Ark was a great place to see them in action (view clip of "Papa Dukie" closing song). Their concert wasn’t an example of a relationship between performers and audience, it was between friends who have known one another for years. They’re the guys you knew in college who always had the best porch parties. The guys who lose good-naturedly every year in league softball. The guys who are your neighbors down the street, provided we all live in one big suburb of New Orleans.
Yup. Without a doubt, Tommy, John, Jimmy, Tim, and Steve are the five extra older brothers I would have in an alternative universe.
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