‘Did me and the band pass the audition’, asks Jesse Dayton tongue in cheek after a blistering return to Whelan’s as part of his whistlestop Irish tour which also takes in dates at Belfast and Kilkenny Roots Festival. The band in question is a duo on this occasion, Texan Jesse joined by his long-time bass player Chis Rhoades. Despite the somewhat stripped-down arrangement and with them both perched on chairs, the full-on energy of Dayton’s set was never far from the surface from his opener Daddy Was a Badass to his closing encore of George Jones’ The Grand Tour. As is customary with Dayton’s shows, he communicated the history of each song on the setlist in illuminating detail. Recalling having been brought to his first live music show by his father to witness the immortal George Jones, he added ‘George didn’t show up.’ The rearranged show for the following week fared slightly better when a well inebriated Jones eventually staggered on stage and propped up by the microphone began to sing. The eight-year-old Dayton asked his father what the problem with George was. The simple reply he received was ‘that’s country music son.’ On a more solemn note, while introducing the song Miss Victoria (Beautiful Thing), he spoke emotionally about the eighty-two-year-old black lady that helped rear him and introduced him to some legendary black artists.
Tales of encounters with Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt also featured and the first live rendition of a song from his next recording, Angel In My Pocket got an airing. The album is being produced by Shooter Jennings whose father Waylon employed a young Dayton as a guitar player. Dayton also modestly recounted strokes of good fortune at various points in his career. The title of his best-selling single I’m At Home Getting Hammered (While She’s Out Getting Nailed), came about while eavesdropping on a conversation between two jerks in a bar. On hearing those lines, he dashed out to his pick-up truck, found a hamburger box napkin and scribbled down those words. Other strokes of luck - modestly related by Dayton - included a commission by film director Rob Zombie to record the soundtrack to a film and more recently being offered a book deal by Hachette’s to write his memoirs. Subsequently published and titled Beaumonster, a play on his homestead Beaumont, Texas, it’s a series of memoirs of his colourful career in music.
Aside from the hilarious tales recounted, the songs were a blast, Townes Van Zandt covers Loretta and White Freight Liner Blues both got an airing as did Tom T Hall’s Memphis, with Dayton recalling playing that song while touring with Buddy Miller some years back. May Have to Do It (Don’t Have o Like It) was a call and response with the audience before he unleashed Holy Ghost Rock N Roller transforming the front of the stage into a dancefloor.
Dayton’s vocal deliveries, and crisp and soaring guitar playing were top drawer and well supported by Rhoades on bass and backing vocals. He spoke fondly of his love of Rory Gallagher, being blown away by Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous tour back in the day, and his Irish ancestors (Sullivan’s and Corry’s from Cork). and genuinely seemed to be enjoying the night every bit as much as everyone in attendance. A great show, a great showman, and a very special night from an artist who seemed to be enjoying every minute as much as his audience.
The show opener slot was filled by Donegal’s Dean Maywood, whom we last saw when he performed at The AMA UK Festival in Hackney two years ago. A talented tunesmith and guitarist, Maywood’s set was played to pin-drop silence - no easy task when performing to a Jesse Dayton crowd. His set included Jane, Louisiana, and Silver Dollar from his self-titled EP, and a new song Daddy Came Home, kicking off what proved to be a great night’s entertainment.
Review and photography by Declan Culliton.