Jackyl At The Asylum, Portland, Maine. 05/09/13
Review by: James Pappaconstantine
Photograpger: James Pappaconstantine
More show photos: HERE
Venue: The Asylum, Portland, Maine
People were lined up around the building for Thursday nights sold out, performance of Jackyl at the Asylum in Portland.
Local act 13 High opened the show and were given a warm welcome from those in attendance. Boston’s own, Gone For Days followed and were also well received.
The stage was set, the drums which sat hidden under a black tarp were uncovered under the low light, a microphone stand made of an old shotgun sits center stage, a hum of power surges through the amps as the players climbed behind their instruments and got ready to rock.
Now there were no set lists in view and unfortunately I was not familiar with the library of Jackyl’s tunes, but I can tell you they started out at 100mph and never let off the gas. Guitarist Jeff Worley (Keith Richards Jr.) set the tone, cranking through riffs and solos as the crowd cheered on, waiting for singer Jesse James Dupree to take his place behind the mic. The rhythm section of Chris Worley (Drums) and Roman Glick (Bass) were as tight as can be and held it all together.
Jesse came out and took the Mic, a cordless unit with a bull whip taped to the end. The energy never faltered and with each song was met with great appreciation from the crowd trying to match the power that was being emitted from the amps and drums. Jesse cracked open a bottle of his finest Whiskey (Jesse James, America’s Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey) and passed it along to his band mates. Toasting the crowd and telling them how happy he was to be back in Maine.
Over the night the band must have lost 3lbs running around the stage sweating bullets. Highlights of the night were the songs, She Loves My Cock from their debut release, My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine’s Ass from their latest release and the Lumber Jack Song. (In which Jesse welds a chainsaw playing it as an instrument before ripping through a wooden barstool and throwing the pieces into the crowd.)
The show was among the best shows I have ever seen at the Asylum and was right up there with one of the best club shows I have ever seen. I went in, not knowing much of the band and having never seen them before. I walked out with wood. ((No literally, Jesse handed me a leg from the barstool which I had them sign) I will have to go out and buy some of their CD’s and catch them again sometime.