Dustin Arbuckle & the Damnations at Whiskey Stop -- July 14.
Sunday, July 14, 2 p.m.
Whiskey Stop, 726 15th Avenue, East Moline IL
Lauded by Blues Blast magazine as "a great band" and "the best kind of roots act," the gifted musicians of Dustin Arbuckle & the Damnations headline a July 14 concert event at East Moline venue Whiskey Stop, this concert co-presented by the Mississippi Valley Blues Society a showcase for the blues talents inspired by traditional-blues legends such as Charley Patton, Howlin’ Wolf, and Little Walter.
As stated at DustinArbuckleDamnations.com, "Arbuckle, a veteran of the progressive roots music scene whose singing and harmonica playing first came into prominence in Moreland & Arbuckle, has been kicking up fresh dust with the Damnations since 2017. A musician of vast appetites, he’s long held an appreciation for traditional American music in the vein of Charley Patton as well as the cross-pollinated sounds of The Band or Stax-style soul. The diverse musical sensibilities of the Damnations (Brandon Hudspeth on guitar, Caleb Drummond or Mark Foley on bass, and Colby Aiken on drums) allow for all of that along with occasional forays into deep country and even jazz. 'When we started playing together we all wanted the band to be a space where we could play anything we wanted to,' Arbuckle notes, 'and that's created this cross-genre electric Americana vibe.'
"'This band was Dustin's idea,' comments Foley, 'and we had to put it together fast because there were already shows lined up. He just shotgunned and called some of the best musicians he knew, and it turned into this army of generals! We all kind of knew this band was something special between us pretty much from the first time we played together. We had only three rehearsals before our first show, and they felt really good. And now, every time we play there's always something new. Because Brandon and Dustin are so deeply schooled in roots music, and have a wide range of tastes, we've got this musical vocabulary we can draw on. Its kind of how jazz musicians talk, like 'lets do a Miles Davis vibe on this.'"
With two EPs, a studio album, and their latest release, 2023's Live at The Shamrock Lounge, Dustin Arbuckle & the Damnations continue to evolve. Arbuckle states, "One of the biggest compliments we tend to get from people, be it other musicians or promoters or fans, is that our style is truly Americana, because we bring together so many different aspects of American music to make something unique. With this band, and this record in particular, we're really trying to paint a big canvas. We've each brought our own distinct and different influences to the table, and because of the way we've used that to cultivate our sound, this record really reinforces what the driving idea behind the band has been since we started. It all comes together in a really cohesive way and feels like us."
Dustin Arbuckle & the Damnations play their headlining engagement at East Moline's Whiskey Stop on July 14, admission to the all-ages concert is free, and weather permitting, the show will be held in the venue's beer garden, with lawn chairs recommended. For more information, call (563)322-5837 and visit MVBS.org.
