Muscle Shoals Meets 70s rewind

Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s rewind

Part 17: Tangled up in the Shoals

If you’re following along, dear reader, right about now, I’m probably sounding like a broken record. Yes, I really did love all the performances both nights of Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s at Florence's historic Shoals Theatre BUT I do have a pecking order (list) of my favorites.

This fifth performance of night one, set two, ranks pretty high on my favorites list. Russell Mefford and Kirk Russell performing one of my all-time favorite songs, “Tangled Up in Blue,” by one of my not-so-favorite artists, Bob Dylan, was a Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s night one highlight for me. It was so so good, y’all. Please know that I hang my head a little when I say this but, “I’m not much of a Bob Dylan fan.” (Sorry, not sorry.) I’ve warmed to him in my old age but hard pass for the most part. I’m all-in, though, on Russell and Kirk putting their magical spin on this very special unicorn of a Dylan tune all day and all night. Attention universe: Give me more of Fiddleworms’-style Dylan, please.

The less is more approach of Russell simply sitting on a stool center stage with Kirk and his mandolin standing nearby was such a beautifully perfect homage to this timeless treasure. I had never noticed before how Russell has strong Dylan-esque troubadour tendencies. Kirk was absolutely giving off Pied Piper vibes, too. I’m thinking I would follow these guys to the ends of the earth. This performance was heartfelt and sincere — it was both entertaining and edifying, too. Don’t get me started on the power of a great song. Good music is good music, friends. If only Dylan had been a worm. C’est la vie.

You know, I’m somewhat of an observant person and it can be both a gift and a curse. I live in concert moments in a way that’s a little different from most people. Typically, I don’t sing along (that kind of ruins the listening part for me) and I’m not hyper-fixated on the lead singer, either. I like to experience everything that’s happening in the room and on the stage. I had a great seat both nights of MSM the 70s but for this performance, Clint Bailey and Scott Todd clearly had the best "seats" in the house. Trust me — seeing the two of them looking to their brethren (Russell and Kirk) with pride and love for our Shoals music community was so moving.

In case you can't tell, doing this play-by-play rewind of Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s has triggered some major worm envy for me, friends. It’s true — I’m nothing if not a worm wannabe. Do you feel it, too? We’re all honorary worms, right?

More to come … stay tuned.

Dig Worms, friends.

Photo credit (video stills): Angel DeAnn Pilati