Charlie Daniels - Live At Keswick Theatre - A Review

 The Charlie Daniels Band pulled into Glenside and were loaded for bear. I have not seen Charlie since 1981 at the Mann Music Center. There was a local band that opened up for them, The crowd were not really  getting into them, I had never heard of them, but the crowd were there to see the CDB.

  People that had a meet and greet with Charlie did that during the first act's

set. Charlie did his meet and greets in his bus which was neat. Mr. Daniels has always been an outspoken man about his beliefs in Christianity, and his political ideas.  In my short time with him, I was really impressed with him, He is a very kind and sincere man.

   By the time everyone got back inside, The opening act was finished and they were setting up for the CDB which did not take long, and they had brought more than the average rock group to the Keswick, which has it's own PA system. They added a stack of speakers which went almost to the ceiling of the Theatre. They started out loud, I really did not expect him to still be playing full volume at his age, but the band was on full tilt rock, it took a couple of songs to get the sound dialed in. After the sound was right, the band really sounded good. They did the "Wooley Swamp", it sounded just like the record, Charlie's voice sounds just as strong and clear as it did thirty five years ago. His guitar playing sounded better, if anything than before.

  I was unfamiliar with a lot of his new material, as I was really into him in the seventies. He did sing "Long Haired Country Boy", which got the place jumping. He brought the house down with a magnificent version of "How Great Thou Art", starting out with just himself and an acoustic guitar, bringing in the whole band by the end. It was just so beautiful and done so full of meaning, and reverently. The CDB sounds just as good or better than ever.

                                   www.charliedaniels.com   

"Off The Grid - Doin' It Dylan" - Charlie Daniels Band - A Review

Well, this is different for the Charlie Daniels Band. Some of the
first sessions work on the guitar, that Daniels did when he moved to
Nashville was for Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline" album. Charlie was
just supposed to fill in for a day for a guitarist who did not show
up. Dylan wanted Charlie to keep playing, not the guy who didn't show
up. In fact ,Charlie kept playing for him on Dylan's next two albums
done in Nashville. Daniels said that Dylan and him got along and he
was easy to work with. So Charlie thought that He would do a tribute
album for Dylan.

  The sound is refreshing ,acoustic ,bouncy , Daniels vocals sound as
good as ever. For me, I really had always been a fan of Dylan's songs,
but not his versions. Charlie's vocals were mixed loud enough that it
was easy to hear the words and appreciate the meaning of the songs,
Charlie really enunciated the versing well, it showed that He truly
loved the songs, and I really understood the meaning of the songs, for
the first time, plus you can really hear joy in Daniel's singing. The
band is like a folk, bluegrass band, with drums, harmonica, some
mandolin and sweet Dobro. I'm sure that Daniels still misses Taz, the
last member of his original band, who passed away not too long ago.
There is a lot of piano in the mix, in fact , it is one of the
dominant instruments. It is an interesting mix of Dylan songs, Some
upbeat, some serious, a couple sad, really something for everyone to
relate to.

    He starts up with a real upbeat version of "Tangled Up in Blue",
He puts a real interesting fiddle riff in the song to keep it moving.
He does upbeat versions, but serious versions of "Hard Rain Going to
Fall" and "The Times They Are a Changing".

     Daniels said that he learned a lot from playing on Dylan's
recordings that later he learned some things about leading his own
band. Dylan was all about a sense of freedom and letting a musician
play what he wanted to play ,rather than tell him every phrase. Other
songs on the CD are "You are Going to have to serve Somebody", "Just
Like a Woman", and the Manfred Mann Hit,
 "The Mighty Quinn", and I think my favorite is his version of "I
Shall be Released".  Charlie Daniels has become a man who is a hard
worker and a large believer in America and Christianity. And He is not
afraid to say what is on his mind. I honestly was impressed about how
tight his band is on the whole album, and for me, I'll put it on if I
need something to put me in a good mood. See what you think, if this
something you might like.
                        www.charliedaniels.com