Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

Pope County Bootleggers

---Peter Read
    I'm sitting here at Fayetteville's Smoke & Barrel Tavern watching The Pope County Bootleggers work their magic. This is definitely one of the hardest working bands I've seen in some time, and this crowd feels it across the board. Indeed, the group plays this club at least once a month, and the staff and management is all grins whenever they're here…singing and dancing along as they pour the drinks and schmooze with the customers. It's always a party when they play, and tonight is no exception.
    This night, like at nearly every gig they play, includes a line out the door of folks just waiting to get in. Indeed, when the door-dude opens the door the crowd outside collectively cheers and pushes forward.
    "We can't let anyone else in because the fire chief says no more," he yells. "You'll have to wait a while."
    "Then leave the door open so we can hear," someone shouts back.
    "It's cold…you'll have to wait a bit," is his reply, and shuts the door.
    What sets this band apart from the 'normal' acts is the unique combination of influences from each player. They cover just about everything from blues to classic country, straight-ahead rock and roll, Southern rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, folk and so on, and meld it all together in one fun, romping musical Americana celebration. Indeed, 'Americana' seems to sum up the band across the board.
    Ultimately an acoustic band, they strip things down to the bare minimum, producing their music entirely in person, sans effects pedals, electronic vocal tricks or even a full drum kit. You are hearing the real deal from musicians who want nothing more than to seriously play their music, and have the most fun in their lives doing it.
    And they do have fun, too, as does the crowd, a fact which shows on every patron's face in the club.
    The Pope County Bootleggers are much more than a "local band" - a fact evidenced by a glance at their performance itinerary. There are dates in the coming months from Austin, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee, to Geneva, Minnesota, and many, many shows in between. Indeed, they are playing nearly every night somewhere, and when they're not they're on the road covering the miles between gigs.
    Citing as their primary influences Blue Ribbon Beer and Wild Turkey, the band employs a wild, party-loving attitude that is as genuine as it is infectious. And the crowd eats it up, too.
    In great demand locally, the players act almost surprised at their popularity and success, with each humming and hawing whenever someone comments on how good they are.
    To borrow from Barry Lewis, the lead guitarist and backing vocalist, "We just play what we'd like to hear ourselves. That's the key, I think. We'd probably get bored if we limited our approach to someone's idea of so-called "cover material"…unless, of course, the songs they asked for were some of our usual stuff. But they often do, actually. There are tunes we've put together that people know by heart, even though we've never released them on a record. They learn them from coming to our shows."
    A real drunk chick just tried to get on the stage, and they motion to the bouncer about it.
    "Honey…we'd love to have you up here with us, but there's really no room for another person up here. Why don't you just sit down and take in the music," says Barry. "Wait 'til after the show and we can get together," says Butch Taylor (the bass player).
    Everyone laughs, including her, and she staggers off.
    I mention this later when talking with Barry, and he says it happens all the time.
    "Do they ever wait 'til after the show?" I ask.
    "Not that often. Besides, she's probably passed out somewhere by now. She was just caught up in the moment…she won't even remember it tomorrow I'm sure…"
    In addition to Barry, the band consists of Richard Burnett, lead vocals, dobro, guitar, banjo and harmonica; Butch Taylor, on bass and vocals; and Phillip Eubanks on drums and percussion (a tiny, scaled-down drumset with one cymbal).
    The band formed in 2007, and have been in great demand ever since their first gig.
    This band will be the Nightflying showcase band at this years' SXSW in Austin. Their slot is on Saturday night at The Hideout, located at 6017 Congress Ave., at 11 p.m. If you are in Austin on March 20, be sure to get by the club and show your support.
    We are quite proud to be featuring The Pope County Bootleggers at the conference. Through the years we have sponsored Lucero, The Tares, A Good Fight, The Gunbunnies, Richard Johnson, Burger, Fifth Cliff, David & The Immatures, Jubilee Dive, The SkeeterHawks, Punkinhead, Runaway Planet, Blues Patrol and a host of others at SXSW.
    In all truth, this years' showcase band is one of the most exciting acts we have yet to send to Austin. It's a real party band, to be sure, and if fate and muses are kind you soon won't be able to get in to see them without paying the big bucks and a TicketMaster service charge. They're that good…but you should hear them live and make your own conclusions. I think you'll agree.
    Check out the band at www.sonicbids.com/The PopeCountyBootleggers or www.myspace.com/thepopecountybootleggers.
    To book the Pope County Bootleggers, call (501)398-4422, or email barryl31@hotmail.com.
                        ---PR

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