Dixie Dregs @ The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ 3/10/2018
The Dixie Dregs-guitarist Steve Morse, bassist Andy West, violinist Allen Sloan, keyboardist Steve Davidowski and drummer Rod Morgenstein-are back celebrating a 45th anniversary reunion tour. It would be in your best interest to see them!
This mix of country-fusion-pro-jazz that this band manages is unlike anything else and to see these five guys, not only pull off this complicated stuff, but seemingly having the time of their life doing so, really made my night. Hitting tunes from all over their career; “Divided We Stand,†the wailing, “Take It Off The Top,†prog ladened, “Odyssey,†“Northern Lights,†Sloan and Morse’s duet in violin and acoustic, respectively, and the wild “Refried Funky Chicken,†and down home barn burner “The Bash,†this band really got the New Jersey crowd clapping and on its feet many times during the 2-and-half-hour, 2-set concert.
“Cruise Control,†one of the better known Dixie Dregs songs, ended the show. Here we finally got a drum solo. Rod Morgenstein may have made his name with Winger, but I feel he is truly in his element here with the Dregs. He is a drummer of singular style, exalting technique and feel second-to-none. Watching him bounce out of his stool most of the night, accenting Morse’s playing especially, was a real treat.
See the Dixie Dregs if you are able. This is one of those rare opportunities you should not miss.