He Got a Lawyer, You Got a Bottle
“Panties in Your Purse” and the truly glorious setlist from my first DBT show in 2004.
If you enjoy my newsletter, please forward this email to a friend. And if you aren't yet, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or leaving me a tip! Thank you for reading.
I have seen Drive-By Truckers 40-plus times, but one of the best DBT shows I ever saw was my first DBT show on February 15, 2004. I had no way of knowing it at the time, but never again would I see them in such a tiny venue — San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill held about 250 people.
The Truckers were touring in support of 2003’s Decoration Day, the album that first got me into the band. The performance that night sounded hard and bright, as they charged through a truly glorious setlist. Mike Cooley sang “Daddy’s Cup.” Jason Isbell sang “Danko/Manuel” off the not-yet-released The Dirty South. Patterson Hood sang “The Night G.G. Allin Came to Town.” They covered “Hey Ya!” by Outkast; Jason nailed the lead vocals. But the performance that really stuck with me was Cooley’s “Panties in Your Purse,” which I heard for the first time that night.