Trampled by Turtles with The Devil Makes Three @ High Noon Saloon, April 11, 2010

A couple of weeks back I got to see The Devil Makes Three play in Madison. My friends had been talking great things about the band for a while now, and I was looking forward to catching their take on folk, blues, and ragtime. Of course, I also enjoy Trampled By Turtles a lot, but having seen them perform at several shows in the past year, I was definitely keen on the opening act. With a line stretching out to the parking lot, there were plenty of excitement and anticipation in the air (some of it around the question “Will I get tickets before the show sells out?”, which it did as I passed through the doors. So next time, get you tickets in advance). Raw and punky sounding, The Devil Makes Three consists of guitarist/frontman Pete Bernhard, stand-up bassist Lucia Turino and guitarist Cooper McBean. No drums, plenty of rhythm, and lots of dancing. With influences ranging from the great Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Hank Williams, to AC/DC and Dr. Dre, the band makes party music that’s also the real blues, as in the case of “Old Number Seven” – a blistering homage to a familiar friend, Jack Daniels and the song they opened up the show with. A packed house cheered with joy and burst into a frenzy that did not subside till the band got done an hour later.

Trampled by Turtles took the stage next, and with a great opening act setting the bar, the lads from Minnesota did not disappoint. Here are some pictures from the show… enjoy!