Charlie Patton’s War Does not Suck! – Juke Joint

And, that’s for damn sure!

Charlie Patton’s War during Juke Joint Festival 2014 Clarksdale

By BILLY “POOR WILLIAM” HOWELL

CLARKSDALE, Mississippi

One of our finest Southern superlatives includes the qualifier “… ain’ all bad!” As in, “she ain’ all bad; that cold beer, well, it ain’ all bad; or, that porterhouse steak Johnny just bought us, hell, it ain’ all bad!” It’s just the same as saying “Something doesn’t suck!” And for the record, as dubious as mine might be, the band known by the name Charlie Patton’s War (CPW) does not suck! In fact, His Triteness declares, “They Rock!” I ain’ lyin’!

Charlie Patton’s War happens to be one of my top-five bands! Period! And, they dig on some Clarksdale, rock some seriously eclectic hill country blues/rock, are tighter than a bulldog at a Rebel rally, and are some of the nicest, cool, step-up-to-the-plate-when-ya-gotsta Dudes, anywhere.

I ain’ got to reinvent nothin’: From their website: http://charliepattonswar.bandcamp.com, “…Their music is often described as having the heavy modern blues-rock edge of artists such as The Black Keys, but also an audible nod to earlier influences of Delta blues and soul music.”

Yep, that works! And, their insane CD is available for purchase or download at the above mentioned site for only $5! I ain’ PT Barnumin’ nobody! Check it out![youtube]http://youtu.be/q4bxoIVEshE[/youtube]

The Delta Bohemian wrote about CPW’s serendipitous visit to Clarksdale a few months ago, and we had been anxiously awaiting the return of the Indiana band for this April’s Juke Joint Festival ’14.

Many bands come to Clarksdale on their own nickel, if they got one, and play just for tips and bragging rights that they played here. Financially for many, it is a losing proposition, but dues are paid, and the prestige of having played a gig in Clarksdale means something to a lot of folks. But, it requires some sacrifice, and CPW has “made its bones” in the Mississippi Delta.

I watched them on three occasions in two days back at the first of the year and then saw them three times over two days during Juke Joint Fest. Every time Aaron Frazer, Blake Rhein, Justin Hubler and Kyle Houpt step up to the mic, they perform. Everytime. Whether on the street in front of Lambfish Art Company, at Bluesberry Café before a quickly thrown together set, or multiple times at the Shack Up Inn before small, but intimate crowds, including an early-in-the-day gig after a night of sleeping on Joey’s couch and floor, CPW played it straight.

If one needs more than a tone-deaf recommendation by the Delta Bohemian® or the significance of Aaron’s first drum stick break on the night of CPW’s inaugural show at the Shack Up Inn, when it landed ceremoniously at Poor William’s feet, to realize that there needs to be some continued symbiosis between CPW and the Delta, then embrace the coupe de grace: a stunning, yet creepy plastic skull falls from somewhere near the ceiling of the cotton gin known as the Juke Joint Chapel, before rolling clickety-click all the way across the dance floor while the band plays on with some serious skull-awareness and the audience watches with silent, morbid fascination, wanting to pick it up but each anxious to avoid a deeper acquaintance with mobile mojo. I ain’ lyin’! Straight truth! Check out the vids! These boys are “all right!” pw

Charlie Patton’s War Needs Your Help. They have a KICKSTARTER which is helping them raise funds to record their second album. Read about it HERE. Watch this awesome video of them with a lot of footage shot in Clarksdale during the Juke Joint Festival.