Last time I was in New Orleans, my dad and I were fortunate enough to catch Louisiana natives “C.C. Adcock and the Lafayette Marquis” and “Dumpstaphunk” take the stage at One-Eyed Jacks, a small, intimate venue off Bourbon Street. CC Adcock and his boys played an 8 song set and did not disappoint the crowd. The local band, featuring their grizzly, guitar-wielding front man, C.C. Adcock, had a unique sound that fused both hard rock and Cajun zydeco into a symphonic cocktail of pure entertainment.
The short set list featured songs like, “Bleed to Feed”, “Stealin’ the Day”, and zydeco hits “Maison Creole”, “I’m Ready”, “Fool to Care”, “Runaway Life”, and “Shirley”. Each song was strong in its own ways, but the band’s final song, “Y’all’d Think She’d Be Good 2 Me” was definitely the hit of the night. Credited with providing several songs for the hit HBO Cajun-vampire series “True Blood”, the band blew the roof off with their final song. Featuring the bold lyrics and writing talents of their front man Adcock, “Y’all’d Think She’d Be Good 2 Me” is easily rock radio material, and a great representation of their unique sound. Surprisingly, the band features two talented drummers, along with an extremely gifted stand-up bass player who plays his instrument with more passion and energy than most of the bass guitarists I’ve seen. The Lafayette Marquis stand out from most other bands and deservingly so. C.C.’s guitar shredding highlighted every song, and the band even briefly featured a mind-melting accordion solo that had to be seen to be believed. The small venue only seemed to enhance the overall experience. This band is definitely worth a trip if you can catch them. They rarely post upcoming tour dates, but are a frequent entertainers in New Orleans during Jazzfest.
After the awesome set by Adcock and his boys, we were treated to a mindblowing performance by Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, another local Louisiana band that takes the funk genre to a whole new level. Seriously, if you don’t feel like getting funky, steer clear from Dumpstaphunk. In my whole life, I honestly do not know if I have ever seen two more talented bass players, let alone playing on the same stage together. These guys wail, and they’ll leave you begging…not for more cowbell, but for even more bass. Did I mention this band can sing? Literally every band member is mic’d up, and at any moment one can belt out a line with some of the best pipes around.
Ivan Neville, son of Aaron Neville and another piece of the enormously talented Neville family bloodline, leads the band on organ and keyboard. Whether it’s knocking out a blaring organ riff or getting down and funky on the vocorder, this guy can blow any crowd away, any time any place. His stage presence is evident, as he truly feels like the “leader” of the band, highlighting his crew all the way. Nikki Glaspie puts her heart and soul into the drums, and is impressive on so many levels. Female drummers are not too common a find, but she’ll make you wonder why that is, as she makes most male drummers look amateurish. Ian Neville, Ivan’s cousin, plays lead guitar and knocks out some awesome riffs and lines. He can shred, and he’ll make sure to show you before the night is through. But the most dynamic duo in the band has got to be the duo of bassist Nick Daniels and bassist/lead singer Tony Hall. When I tell you that these guys will blow you away, I can’t even come close to describing the effect that they have on stage. Nick Daniels will politely stand off-center and melt your face on the bass, as Tony Hall sings some sweet lyrics and wails away on his own bass guitar. These two put the “phunk” in Dumpstaphunk, and you’ll see and hear it right from the start. When the two of them get going together, watch out.
If you’ve never heard of Dumpstaphunk, do your ears a favor and let them know what they’ve been missing. This band is a great New Orleans treat, and I’m already counting the days until I get to see them again this May.
If you want to learn more about C.C. Adcock and the Lafayette Marquis, you can listen to song samples on http://www.last.fm/music/CC+Adcock+%26+The+Lafayette+Marquis. To learn more about Dumpstaphunk, check them out at http://www.dumpstaphunk.com/ or search the local New Orleans entertainment blogs for show dates and venues as well as to find other new and exciting bands on Louisiana’s horizon. Hope you all enjoy!
EDIT: I just wanted to note that this concert was from last year. In the months that followed, I found that C.C. Adcock is now touring with an enormously talented band called, “Lil’ Band o” Gold”, while Dumpstaphunk has undergone a few minor lineup changes along the way. Regardless, please check out their music and get a feel for these greatly gifted bands.
-Jeff Gould
2/24/2015
Jeff Reviews It 