Celebrating their 25th anniversary together, Louisiana’s Southern rock kings Dash Rip Rock bring their wild, bayou-style rockabilly to Home Team BBQ for a two-nighter this weekend. Singer/guitarist Bill Davis formed the trio in 1984 while attending LSU. They earned a reputation as a rowdy, hard-hitting rock band during their early college radio years on Mammoth Records.

These days, it seems the Rock is currently in the middle of a massive resurgence. On a tear to reclaim their former glory, they are out working the U.S. with their latest album, Country Girlfriend — a follow-up to 2007’s twangy Hee Haw Hell (Alternative Tentacles). Davis maintains his thinly veiled, hick-styled sense of humor in the lyrics of the title track of the album, as he sings, “She got a blue ribbon for her blackberry pie/Her chicken-fried steak makes the preacher cry/She drives her granny to the family night dinner/She’s got a supersized country heart in her/ Everyone in Chickasaw County knows her name — she’s my country girlfriend.”

Dash Rip Rock have always been a band most in their element live, bringing their primal, energetic passion and their “caveman roots” and “innermost monkey” to the stage. Never working from a set list, Davis and current rhythm section — bassist Patrick Johnson and drummer Eric Padua — still let the audience pick the songs so the shows promise to be unique. They play for two or three hours, “depending on the tequila [they] are served.”

The Rock will be touring through the summer, and they’ll be taking the swampy get-down to Europe in September.

The Home Team vibe seems ideal for this kind of thing. Booking guy Tony McKie has the sound dialed in, the kitchen has the spicy food and the sweet tea right on the money, and the smokin’ bartendresses always have the beer ice cold. Louisiana rockabilly and Lowcountry BBQ? The no brainer of no brainers.

Dash Rip Rock play at Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ in West Ashley (1205 Ashley River Road, 843-225-RIBS) at 10 p.m. on Fri. May 8 and Sat. May 9. Admission is $8 each night. Visit www.hometeambbq.com and www.dashriprock.net for more.


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