Allstars live up to the name

ST. PETERSBURG -- Anyone arguing that North Mississippi Allstars is the finest blues rock act around should use as proof the band's blistering set at Friday's Tampa Bay Blues Festival in Vinoy Park.

The three-day festival, hosted by the Suncoast Blues Society, began powerfully, with perfectly crisp weather and a terrific headlining act following solid sets by Louisiana guitarist Tab Benoit and San Francisco's Tommy Castro Band, among others.

But the night, which drew an estimated 7,000 music lovers, belonged to the Allstars, the young trio-turned-quartet with the addition of second guitarist Duwayne Burnside that has been earning critical raves with Shake Hands With Shorty, its Grammy-nominated debut, and this year's critically acclaimed51 Phantom. Burnside joins brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, who play guitar and drums, respectively, and their childhood pal Chris Chew, who is something of a bass virtuoso. But virtuoso could be applied to any of the band.

Watching Luther Dickinson run his slender fingers over his frets is wondrous. Few guitarists play with such tenderness and yet elicit such feisty notes. Dickinson makes it look effortless, all the while growling lovelorn, woe-begotten lyrics. He's a wisp of a man, too, thin, fine-featured, with sleek hair, but his voice is weary and bruised.

Cody keeps you guessing with beats a bit unorthodox for the blues. (Both brothers played in punk rock bands before returning to the blues and Americana their daddy, producer Jim Dickinson, raised them on.) Just when you expect Cody's rhythms to pummel one way, he swerves you around in a musical boomerang.

A hefty guy, Chew plays with beautiful precision, his bass high on his chest, hips gently swirling in circles. Chew's vocals add texture to the Allstars' sound, all raw leads and harmonies.

The band performed tight rockers as well as jams. A rousing cover of the Staple Singers' socially conscious Freedom Highway found all three front fellows sharing lead vocal. Luther wailed in his grizzly best on Lord Have Mercy, and Burnside sang the blues standard The Sky Is Crying before dishing out his own savory guitar licks.

On several songs Cody beat his drums with one hand and tickled an organ with the other. Goin' Down South and All Night Long were showstoppers, as was a peppy reprise of Shake 'Em on Down. The cutup Chew, who throughout the set chatted and cracked jokes, slapped one hand to his hips on that number, sashaying like a much butcher RuPaul.

That kind of sass gives the Allstars the gumption to blend rock riffs with classic Stax, coming up with a sound that's delectable, punchy and unique.

-- To contact Gina Vivinetto, e-mail gina@sptimes.com.

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