Fiddleworms Come Out Swinging

So, here’s how it went down at the rock show Saturday night, Part 1: The Fiddleworms (and friends) came out swinging, y’all.

With a moonman standing watch, Michael Curington on drums (with John Tombyll in spirit) and Mitch Mann on guitar kicked off the show with one of the most epic song intros ever — “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits. I promise, the entire crowd stared in wide wonder like we were all caught in the Fiddleworms’ tractor beam. Yep. That’s how it started and it sent chills down my spine.

The “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s” opening number was pure poetry in every single way and takes the cake for the most Epic Moment of the night. Seriously, I may never get over Lenny LeBlanc serenading us with “I want my MTV.” (PS: Somebody please play that on loop at my funeral or next wedding, whichever comes first.) All joking aside, Lenny’s pairing with Russell Mefford (á la Sting and Mark Knopfler) on “Money for Nothing” was divine. Not only did that stellar opening set the tone for the entire night, it set the bar pretty dang high, too.

Only a few minutes in, I already felt so thankful to have a seat at the rock show. Hey, worms, how do you know me so well, anyway? I laughed at how “I Want a New Drug” by Huey Lewis and the News hits a little different now than it did when I was in my teens. Mitch Mann channeled the 80s Bay Area hitmaker by donning black shades and breathed new life into the radio favorite. You know what Mitch? I do want a new drug — or two or three — may as well add a few more to my morning routine, right? This one takes the Hits Too Close to Home prize of the night.

I could go on and on about Carla Russell owning Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” and I mostly have since I was mesmerized by her performance at the “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s” rock show this past Saturday night. This one takes the Life-Changing prize of the night, friends. I am a pretty loud (and inexplicably proud) Rush hater. Always have been but I was left stunned by Carla’s rendition of this song. I still can’t believe how it cut right through to my soul. It was all because of Carla, y’all (and those world-famous worms, of course) that I truly heard this song for the first time in my life. Thank you.

“Don’t You Forget About Me” as performed by Jay Burgess was my 80s Comfort Moment of the first set. I won’t lie, I watch the The Breakfast Club way more than what is probably considered “normal” but you know what? I’m not a fan of normal. I never had a chance to see Simple Minds live and that’s OK because Jay doing his thing to this feel-good 80s mainstay made me happy beyond words. Honestly, it’s safe to say that singing along to this song with Jay — who’s one of my most favorite local legends, y’all — as a 53-year-old woman was way more meaningful than it would have been for 14-year-old me. That moment when we all threw our defiant John Bender fists into the air was everything, y’all.

Stay tuned, friends. More to come soon.

(Photo credit: Corey Hannah)