Lost River Cavemen perform at State Street Pub. Photo by Pennman 9/18/2010.

An established favorite and something new. That’s what went down at the State Street Pub as The Lost River Cavemen and Dead Dick Hammer & the TBA Band rocked the house. It was loud, it was hot (both musically and temperature-wise), and the floor was full.  And that’s about all you need for a good night of music and fun.

So the tale of woe and resurrection is that in 1957 Richard Hammer, leader of a popular trio of seminal South Central Kentucky rockers, took out the whole band skidding off the road on Halloween Eve on the way to a gig. They wound up at the bottom of the Green River. Fast forward to the present, when the mediocrity of mainstream music seeped into their coffins and woke them up. Now reborn they live to put an end to all the modern day ear pollution and rock like it was meant to be. Or something like that.

That background will explain what you experience when the boys hit the stage. Not quite fully back to their healthy hues, the zombies, inconsistent with their half-dead look, rock with an energy that can only come from a soul that’s fully alive. They scream, they kneel, they dip, they howl, and they work the crowd to a frenzy, with cutting lead guitar by Dead Dick, booming bass by Johnny Cotton, and tumultuous drumming by Doc Kong. Now before all you insiders point out I don’t realize these names are aliases, I do. But I promised not to blow any covers here so I’m sticking with this story. Oh yeah, there are vocals too. They are loud and for the most part tight, except in a few spots where ole Dick was stretching out of his range a bit. But can you blame a guy who’s been dead for over 50 years? This group has hit just at the right time – Halloween season. If you want to get in the spirit AND rock out go see them soon. For more info check out myspace.com/dickhammerband. There are streams to be sampled there as well.

After a short break the Lost River Cavemen took the stage. Perhaps a band like this can only be found in Bowling Green. In any event, they are one of our more interesting local bands. Are they a rock band, or Newgrass? Well, the instruments are Newgrass-like. Michael McMillian on acoustic guitar, Kerry Pruitt on fiddle, Kelly Wilson on stand-up bass, and Joshua Riddle on drums all play instruments that you’ll find in your typical Newgrass band. However, the banjo and mandolin are missing, so if you throw that into the mix and simply listen to the music, which at times is ferocious, you’ll be thinking rock and roll. But it’s rock and roll without all the electric. So throw a little rockabilly, folk, Americana, and roots in the mix and you have the unique sound of the Lost River Cavemen.

These guys put on a good show. McMillian’s vocals are solid, and his guitar playing energetic. Being acoustic, there’s not much in the way of lead on the guitar. That facet of the music is picked up mainly by Pruitt on fiddle. And what a job he does. There’s lots of those fiery “Devil Went Down to Georgia” moments in his playing, and they really get things going. The rhythm section of Wilson on the standup, which is just as prominent as any electric bass you’ll hear, and Riddle’s rollicking drumming style provide all the backbone needed to get the crowd moving. And if you thought stand-up bass players can’t move around, think again. Wilson has the moves down pat. Along with McMillian and Pruitt, who are also quite mobile, Wilson shows the crowd how to get down. A good vibe for sure.

The Lost River Cavemen have a new CD coming out soon (I heard a cut on D93 a few days ago), so be on the lookout. For more info on the boys check out myspace.com/lostrivercavemen. You can hear several of their tunes on the site too. They do have an 11/27/2010 date at Tidball’s on the schedule, so go see them. Just perfect for a Saturday night.     

Dead Dick Hammer performed at  State Street Pub in Bowling Green, KYon 9/18/2010.  

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman