Dark Fire Cloud and the Lightning Band  at The Byng’s Legendary Road House, Friday August 15, 2014, 10 pm to whenever

“Swamp Music” !! It’s not a derogatory term. Otherwise known as Zydeco it is the Creole music of Louisiana and is a musical descendent of the Acadian music of the Canadian Maritimes. Way, way back the French speaking Acadians were expelled from Eastern Canada and settled in Louisiana. One person’s loss (Canada) is another person’s gain (USA). Dark Fire Cloud (Thadeus Prejean) comes by the music honestly. Although he now resides mostly in Switzerland he is originally from Lafayette, Louisiana. If his driving vocals, slide guitar and Cajun accordion inspired harmonica playing doesn’t get the feet tapping then the West Indian / Reggae beats of Shuggy Mulligan on drums should do the trick. The frosting on the cake is Jake Buttle’s absolutely rock solid acoustic bass. If none of that works then you are either comatosed or dead.  The band returned to the Legendary Byng Roadhouse to recapitulate their blow out performance off several weeks ago. With such tunes as Jumbalaya, Buffalo Soldiers, Zydeco (Have Mercy!), Mr Pitiful, I Love You any Old Way, Twiddle Dee, A Pain in My Heart,  Lets Talk It Over and Sweet and Dandy how could they fail?. Dark Fire Cloud is on his way back to Switzerland at the end of the month but the band promises to back in the area around June next year. Look forward to it ………                         

The band did us all one big favor. They had a member of their crew videotaping the performance and the first thing he did was remove all the colored gels from the over head stage lights. Vola!!! we could actually see the band. I don’t know who insists that the colored gels enhance a performance. In my experience they do the exact opposite.  The last time I was in the Byng was for one of my favorite bands (60 HERTZ) and the light was so bad I could barely see the band and I didn’t get one decent photo of the evening. I left the performance very dissatisfied with a promise to myself not to come back to the Byng. Hopefully some one will lose or destroy those pesky gels.

On a technical note. Jay and Dark Fire Cloud both play acoustic instruments “amped” up to the heavens and yet there is little or no feed back. That’s quite an achievement considering the high volume level. Jay informed me that it is a real challenge and throughout the performance they are on the edge of what is sonically possible. It is only by paying close attention to their technique that they manage to pull it off. Great job guys.

 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@