Music review

Pokey LaFarge rejuvenates decades-old genres

At first glance, first listen, you might characterize Pokey LaFarge as a nostalgia act, an academic or an elaborate joke, a shtick figure akin to David Johansen's Buster Poindexter or the enigmatic (and retired) Leon Redbone. But as he displayed before a rapt and invigorated full house at South on Main Thursday night, he is living, electric history -- an entertainer who marries an encyclopedic absorption of American pop styles from Jimmie Rodgers to Ray Charles with the easy charisma of a great bar performer.

Just halfway through his 90-minute set that kicked off the Oxford American's concert series, venerable music writer Jack Hill -- he of the immaculate institutional memory -- stopped by our table to observe that the show felt "like a Greasy Greens concert from 40 years ago." LaFarge, who is just into his 30s and who somehow affects the look of a Depression-era wanted poster, could not possibly remember those shows.

But then he and the six members of his remarkable band (whose names we'd have to guess because we didn't catch his onstage introductions and I don't think they quite jibe with the Internet sources) couldn't have had firsthand knowledge of their inspirations either. Even so, they managed to rattle and clap, whoop and honk and slide easily through a set of mostly original songs (though the Bob Wills' numbers "My Little Rock Candy Baby" and "What's the Matter With The Mill" opened and closed the show, respectively, and they took time out to genuflect in Otis Redding's direction with a version of his "I've Got Dreams to Remember") that evoked early jazz, blues, Western swing, ragtime and folk.

LaFarge writes brand new songs that sound timeless, in part because his purposely vague lyrics veer away from the confessional singer-songwriter style that started to emerge circa 1970. His lyrics are plain, bordering at times on moon-June banality, but also serving the melody and harmony of the song. Live, he's a much more animated and rangeful singer than he can seem in the recording studio, and anyone who believes they might find one of his shows airless because they don't particularly care for his CD might revise their opinion after being exposed to the joyous racket made by LaFarge and his bandmates -- a lead guitarist, a dude on six-string banjo and harmonica (primarily), a horn section with a trumpet player (who doubles on a more traditional banjo) and a tiny female clarinetist/saxophonist who commanded a larger share of the mix than her size might suggest. And the excellent rhythm section -- a remarkably supple drummer and an upright bassist -- pinned the whole hot mess to the stage.

LaFarge and his merry band of musicologists take the stage in Fayetteville this weekend as part of the Fayetteville Roots Festival, with a MainStage show tonight and a Saturday night gig at George's Majestic Lounge.

Metro on 08/28/2015

Upcoming Events