North Mississippi Allstars’ Astounding Blues Power Is Needed

It’s a chilly winter night in Mill Valley on Saturday, 25 January, just 14 miles north of San Francisco across the ever-majestic Golden Gate Bridge. But there’s a cozy clubhouse where locals gather to warm up with good music, good booze, and good friends. Owned by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and local hero Bob Weir, the intimate Sweetwater Music Hall has become an even more vital establishment for the Marin County community ever since Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael closed down before its time in the fall of 2021. 

North Mississippi Allstars are back in town tonight, and it’s a sold-out show. The blues rockers have been one of the hardest-working bands in music in recent years, putting out a string of great albums and touring relentlessly to bring the music to the people for celebration and catharsis. Guitarist Luther Dickinson and drummer/brother Cody Dickinson and their cohorts have become one of the most dependable bands in the land, but not predictable. They’re always mixing up setlists, arrangements, and even the band lineup to keep things fresh while regularly throwing down barnburner shows.

The Sweetwater is a room that blends a classy aura with a down-to-earth vibe, making it one of the premiere clubs on the West Coast. The beer list features a number of regional craft brew options rather than the homogenous corporate beers offered at too many other venues. Meanwhile, the cocktail menu features genuine craft spirit concoctions that go beyond standard bar fare.

The signature “Rock & Rye” (the adjacent restaurant’s name) is a standout. It features Sazerac rye infused with plums, oranges, lemons, honey, cloves, cinnamon, and Horehound rock candy. This unique blend of sweet and tangy flavors is a tasty beverage and a fitting one to start with tonight since it’s named after a lyric in the Grateful Dead song “Mississippi Half-Step”. 

North Mississippi Allstars get right into the groove on “Po Black Maddie”, an R.L. Burnside classic from 1969 that they recorded on their debut album Shake Hands with Shorty in 2000. The Dickinsons are already mixing it up, though, as regular bassist Ray Ray Holloman is joining Luther on guitar while a cool-looking dude who turns out to be Joey Williams from the Blind Boys of Alabama is laying down the deep low-end groove on the bass. The jam segues into a vibrant take on the upbeat “Ship”, as the group sing of moving past trials and tribulations when their ship comes in. Luther and Ray Ray tear it up as the energy in the room ignites.

The title track of 2019’s Up and Rolling features a mellow intro that leads to an unusually chilled-out version of what’s been a staple jam vehicle in recent years. However, it’s interesting to hear a more laid-back alternate arrangement, like the one the Allstars recorded with Son Little and Valerie June in 2021. Luther pushes the song forward by throwing in a tease of the Allman Brothers Band‘s “Blue Sky”, which leads to a more fiery and crowd-pleasing jam.

“This is a magical place; we’re so honored to be on sacred ground,” Luther says with genuine reverence, alluding to the club’s proprietorship from Grateful Dead co-founder Bobby Weir. Then, on cue, Grahame Lesh comes out to sit in on the next song. It’s a heartwarming moment with Grahame being the son of Weir’s longtime bandmate Phil Lesh, who sadly passed in October at age 84. The Dickinsons had played with the Leshes multiple times at Terrapin Crossroads in the 2018-2019 era, so it feels like a family reunion.

Luther explains that the Allstars have recently cut a new album titled Still Shaking in honor of this year being the 25th anniversary of their debut and that Grahame blessed North Mississippi Allstars with this next track. Grahame usually plays guitar but seems to honor his dad by playing bass here, as the song opens with a twangy, bluesy vibe reminiscent of early 1970s Grateful Dead. Williams moves to guitar along with Luther and Ray Ray, while Cody sings the first verse before Luther takes the second verse that seems to reference the train driver from “Casey Jones”. It’s heartwarming as the collaboration between these two renowned music families continues.

Joey Williams stars next on vocals and guitar for a hot romp through B.B. King‘s “Why I Sing the Blues”. It’s a tight arrangement with Williams getting his mojo working as he sings that he’s singing the blues because “I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve paid my dues.” Ray Ray is back on bass now as the Allstars take the tune for a groovy ride that sounds so good. 

Luther shines with some vintage slide guitar work on both “Sitting on Top of the World” and “Mean Old World Died Down”, making each note shimmer with a sweet retro bluesy goodness. He notes that the new album will be out on 6 June before playing another new song, perhaps titled “Drive My Blues Away”, that feels like another winner. Cody takes center stage with his washboard as the group rotates the lineup with Luther moving to bass, while Ray Ray sits at the drum kit. Cody leads the band through a surprisingly psychedelic jam, showing how inventive one can be when mixing an old-time instrument with modern effects.

Another highlight occurs when Williams says they will play a Bob Dylan song and takes the lead vocal for a timely take on “Gotta Serve Somebody”. The chorus conjures a knowing singalong from the audience before the group rock another tight, bluesy jam. The gritty blues rock vibe continues in “Mean Old World”, with a powerful groove and fierce guitar riffage. 

North Mississippi Allstars take it back down a notch on “Bumpin'” from 2022’s Set Sail album, a gem of a tune that makes a low-down bluesy interlude as Luther sings of how “Life is but a dream when we’re all bumpin’ together and shaking tambourines…” The ambient vibe leads strategically into the same album’s title track, which features an inspiring vibe as the Allstars sing of how “we shall prevail”, despite the turbulence whether it be from heavy weather or a harsh political climate. A jam on the song’s sweet spot hits the mark for more bluesy catharsis.

“Thanks again, it’s the people that make the place,” Luther says when the two-and-a-half-hour show concludes, acknowledging the heady local scene and festive audience as the group exits the stage. 2025 looks like it will be a turbulent year for America, which means the cathartic blues power services of bands like the North Mississippi Allstars will be most welcome and sorely needed.