Fiddleworms Punched a Higher Floor

Here’s how “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s" went down, Part 4:

Fiddleworms punched a higher floor

Dearly beloved, the opening number of the second set of “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s” was the Most Electrifying Moment of the night. Clint Bailey summoned us back from intermission with arguably the most famous eulogy of all time. The 80s — the only decade that gave us a eulogy as a purple party anthem. Can I get an amen? Brother Rob Aldridge and the Fiddleworms (covering “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince and the Revolution) made sure we punched a higher floor. The crowd was in a purple frenzy the entire time because we were absolutely gathered together to get through this thing called life and we were unstoppable.

For half a second, I didn’t envy the act following such a high-energy opening number but then I remembered Cissy Guin was on deck — no worries, piece of cake. Cissy served up the night’s Rock Goddess Moment and she did it with ease, y’all. Seeing this local rock goddess pay homage to one of the greatest rock goddesses of all time, Joan Jett, was inspiring. “I Hate Myself for Loving You” is one of my go-to personal anthems and has been for more than 35 years so this one was extra special. Cissy took center stage and rocked out like it was nobody’s business and I rocked right along with her. She gave us a heaping helping of pure, no-nonsense rock n’ roll — yeah she did. They’re talkin’ in town, ya know.

What happened next still has me grooving more than a week later. I adore “What I Like About You” by The Romantics and Bay Simpson’s rendition at “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s” was absolute fire. The worms were showing out, y’all — I see you Clint Bailey, Scott Todd, Steve Vickery, and Michael Curington. Eddie Martin joined Marie Lewey and Cindy Walker on backing vocals, too, and Kelvin Holly was on guitar. Then, holy smokes, y’all — Mitch Mann’s harmonica solo left it all on the stage. This performance wins the Perfect Storm Moment of the night. Hey! Uh-huh.

Here’s a special message going out to the guy who sat behind me at the rock show: Listen, if you don’t know anything else about the local Shoals music scene, please know that Haints gonna haint. Period. That’s what happened, friend — Jamie Barrier, bandleader extraordinaire of the one and only Pine Hill Haints, hainted the hell out of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” I wrote this in my notebook, y’all, “My God, I love Jamie Barrier.” Truth. Jamie, alongside Kelvin Holly on guitar and Gary Baker on bass, served up the most Punk Rock Moment of the night and left me stunned. Stunned but happy ... and giddy like the teenage girl I was back in the 80s.

The entire “Muscle Shoals Meets the 80s” show was magical but these back-to-back performances that kicked off the second set knocked me out — full-on TKO. These four performances combine to make My Most Favorite Moment(s) of the night.

Mercy. Stay tuned — more to come soon.

(Photo credit: Dennis Keim)