Friday night’s performance at Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St., will transform into a one-night exploration of folk, blues and country music, because The Spikedrivers are in town.
From Columbus, The Spikedrivers regularly visit Athens to bring their take on Southern-fried blues and rock, for what has been their 11th year as a band.
“We’ve been playing these songs for a decade, so it’s a well-oiled machine at this point,” said Steven Fox, double bass player for the band. “It’s an old rock ‘n’ roll show. It’s going to be loud, (with) a lot of guitar solos.”
Fox said the band likes to explore all strains of American, which explains the varied repertoire of influences the band pulls from, with one minute being a rollicking guitar-heavy rock band and the next minute a bluegrass folk group, all in one set.
The work of Woody Guthrie also influences the sound of the band, and the group has covered him since its inception. The storytelling, Fox said, is an important part of American music the band finds appealing, and wants to pass on to its fans and audience members.
Over the past 11 years, Fox said, the band grew from an all-acoustic bluegrass band to the more bluesy rock-oriented sound today, as electric guitars began to become a part of the regular line-up.
And then there is the lead singer, Jesse Henry.
“They’re going to see a maniac frontman, who I almost feel like is a pentecostal Robert Johnson selling his soul — Joe Cocker, Mick Jagger type of feel.” Fox laughed.
“You’re going to see two of the best guitar players in the state of Ohio.”
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If You Go
What: The Spikedrivers
Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St.
When: 10 p.m. Friday
Admission: Cover
