The Biggest, baddest outlaw the other side of the Mississippi, Big Daddy Ritch and Texas Hippie Coalition make a Year of the Bull Tour stop in Louisville with Kobra and The Lotus, Brand of Julez and Granny 4 Barrel.
It’s Thurby in the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby) and Louisville is buzzing with activity as “The Derby” draws nearer. A solid crowd of Louisville metallers assembles as Denison, Texas-based Texas Hippie Coalition (more affectionately known as THC) crush Trixie’s Entertainment complex. It is said that everything is bigger in Texas, Big Daddy Ritch and Texas Hippie Coalition sure prove that point this evening.
As the house lights drop, Bob Dylan singing “Everybody Must Get Stoned” blares over the PA System and everyone is singing right along. One by one the guys from THC jump on stage but everyone is waiting for the dominating presence of ‘the man in black’, Big Daddy Ritch, to make his entrance. Without much fanfare Big Daddy saunters on stage, one fist in the air as he moves up to his double barrel shotgun mic stand and THC unleashes their brand of Southern Rock Red Dirt Metal starting off fast and furious with “Texas Tags,” ”El Diablo Rojo” and a new song that they are trying out, “Moonshine”, which might make it on a new Fall album.
In between songs, Big Dad Ritch shares many stories about the band, his childhood, and Texas. “That’s right, I’m bragging! My dad was was so fucking cool that I used to tell people that if I was half as cool as my daddy I’d be the second coolest MF’er on the planet. When you see take a shot in one shot and not sip that shit, it’s because Johnny Anderson took it in 1 MF shot and I thought that was cool. When you see me walking and you say, ‘Damn that boy has a southern strut, a little style in his step.’ I got that from my daddy. This song goes out to my daddy, We call this “Drug Dealer.”
“We usually travel with some ugly MF’ers but on this tour, we sure to have some pretty folks with us, including the awesome “Kobra and the Louts and Granny 4 Barrel. Granny wants me bad”, Big Daddy jokes, “because she keeps asking me for my digits.”
With Bid Daddy Ritch hunched over his double barrel shotgun mic stand, he is in complete control of the evening as THC blast through favorites “Turn It Up,” “Hands Up,” and “Paw Paw Hill” with the expected riff-heavy grooves that have the entire venue headbanging.
Ending the THC party on a high, Texas Hippie Coalition close the evening with the anthem-like favorite “Pissed off and Mad About It”. ‘Thank You, Louisville, we will be back!’ shouts the self-proclaimed ‘King of Texas’.
Providing the main support tonight are Canadian rockers Kobra and The Lotus. Touring in support of the second part of their double album, Prevail II, which was released on April 27th ,KATL are electrifying. Dressed in an all-black leather jumpsuit, Kobra Paige is a never-ending spark of energy while tearing through many familiar songs. It is hard to tell who is having more fun tonight. There are smiles all around from the band while they continuously interact with fans all across the stage front.
New Your City Rockers Brand of Julez amped up the energy with a hard-driving set of original music with a classic metal flare. The band, fronted by Julez Zamora – lead vocals/guitars, along with brother Brandon Zamora – bass/vocals, the demonstrative Nick Kashmanian on lead guitar and Frankie D’Esposito on drums, poured out energy from the opening chords of their first song and never let up. They provide the perfect start to an excellent night of hard driving rock.
