In their 12 years as a band, Southern rockers the Drive-By Truckers have played music that they brand as "what used to be called rock 'n' roll."
Music fans can come up with their own description when the Drive-By Truckers perform Thursday, Aug. 13, in Elkhorn Village. The show is the second in the Elkhorn Summer Concert Series, the valley's first "green" concert series.
Opening for the Drive-By Truckers will be San Diego's Dirty Sweet, who have been touring and playing festivals throughout the United States. Dirty Sweet's hard rock and Western sound is bound to be a good match for the headline band.
The Drive-By Truckers have seen band members come and go but still produce a sultry, distinctive sound with a hard rock edge. The music is about real people trying to get by one day at a time. Band members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley on vocals and guitar are founding members. They are joined by Shonna Tucker on vocals and bass, Brad Morgan on drums, John Neff on pedal steel and guitar, and Jay Gonzales on keyboards.
The band has produced several albums and a few solo projects and is regarded as one of the hardest-working touring bands in the country.
"It's a crazy weird balance," said Tucker, who has also become one of the band's songwriters. "We all love each other—we are all very Southern and brutally honest. I always joke about being the only girl in the band and that I could not do this with a bunch of girls."
Tucker said the work is easy for all of the band members because they keep the experience fun and stay true to the music and type of sound they love. The band is working on finishing a new album and plans to play a few new tunes at their Elkhorn show.
"It's important for us to tour, and we would all go insane if we didn't get to do it," Tucker said. "We are not on the radio and our fans want to hear us, so we have got to go to them."
Tucker said they love to tour because they visit cities, meet people and take part in local life, such as farmers' markets. She said it's a privilege and honor for them to do this.
"On the bus we are constantly listening to music and it can be Merle Haggard up front and Outkast in the back," Tucker said. "It's easy for us because we are what we are, and it's always been that way."
The last show of the summer series will take place during Labor Day weekend with Big Head Todd & the Monsters on Thursday, Sept. 3.
For details, visit elkhornconcerts.com.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
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Drive-By Truckers: If you go
Tickets are $37.50 plus taxes in advance and at the door. Tickets are $25 for students (under 21) with a student ID or license and $30 for Sun Valley-Elkhorn Association members (show amenity card at door) and seniors. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 6:30 p.m.
Concert organizers have set up free transportation with Mountain Rides from Bellevue to Elkhorn with stops in between, as well as return trips after the shows. The service follows the regular Mountain Rides routes. For details, visit mountainrides.org.
Babysitting will be available at the YMCA in Ketchum and at the Sun Valley Ballet School in Hailey, which will also have Mountain Rides bus pick-up and drop-off. Babysitting at the Y costs $35 for members and $50 for non-members. Babysitting at the Sun Valley Ballet School is $25 for the first child $20 for an additional child—for three or more children the cost is $15 each.
Parking will not be available in Elkhorn, but will be available at the Sun Valley Horseman's Center, which will be shared with Sun Valley Summer Symphony patrons. Buses will run every 10 minutes to the Elkhorn venue. (Parking for $10 in Elkhorn's Sunshine lot.) Low-back chairs are welcome as well as blankets. Bike riders should bring headlamps and helmets, which can be left with the bike valet. Bikes can be left overnight and picked up the next day by 10 a.m. All bike valet participants are eligible for a raffle to win a cruiser bike from the Elephant's Perch in Ketchum.
Proceeds from the show will benefit The Advocates, the Hunger Coalition, Sun Valley Adaptive Sports and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The show will have Astroturf covering the Elkhorn Village parking lot. The Elkhorn Store as well as the Elkhorn Springs supper club will be open for business during the concert. The venue will offer additional food and bars near the supper club. A merchandise booth will be available, too.
Drive-By Truckers play for the second concert of the Elkhorn Concert Series in Elkhorn Village center on Thursday, Aug. 13.
