Words / Photos: Marty Halpern
After spending much of the last two months on the road supporting their latest album Full Circle and Then Some, Trigger Hippy played its next to last concert of the tour at Growlers in Memphis on December 20. While there is no direct connection between the band and Memphis, there seemed to be a familiar, family vibe throughout the venue all night. Before the show, almost every member of the band could be seen shooting pool or just hanging out in the crowd.
“Dandelion” kicked the show off and was a perfect choice to showcase the effortless but powerful vocal chops of singer Amber Woodhouse. It didn’t take the band very long to get warmed up behind Woodhouse. The cohesion of playing almost nightly for the last 8 weeks was obvious. For this tour, the band brought along keyboardist Jimmy Rowland and guitarist Sol Philcox. Both of the newest “hippies” fit in perfectly as the band played the entire album minus one song throughout their 15 song set.
True to their calling as a “roots” band, Trigger Hippy covered all gamuts of the musical spectrum throughout the night. From the Cajun flavored “One of Them” to a rocking cover of The Pretenders “Middle of the Road,” to one of the nights highlights a spacey “Born to be Blue,” Trigger Hippy – and especially co-founder and drummer Steve Gorman – was in step with whatever genre was up to bat.
Whether taking the vocal lead themselves or joining in with Woodhouse, both guitarist Ed Jurdi and Bassist Nick Govrik continually stood out as well. Govrik’s vocals and bass found a perfect spot in mix, while Jurdi’s energy along with his country rock guitar grooves shaped the direction the band took throughout the evening.
As the band wrapped up the show with a double encore of “Pretty Mess” and “Full Circle and Then Some,” there was no doubt Trigger Hippy has what it takes to be a successful touring band. Creating an album where almost every song is concert worthy is not an easy thing to do. Prior to recording the album, the band made a commitment to keep things going for the long run.
As of now, there are no pending tour dates for the band. Hopefully, after taking time to rest and reflect on a great album and tour, the band will be true to their word and keep things going.
Dandelion, Strung Out On the Pain, Dry County, The Door, Long Lost Friend, The Butcher’s Daughter, Middle of the Road, Goddamn Hurricane, Born To Be Blue, One of Them, Heartache on the Line, Don’t Want To Bring You Down, Low Down Country Song,
Encore: Pretty Mess, Full Circle and Then Some.