James Beaty: OPINION: RAMBLIN: Jason Boland: 'What's up Dancing Rabbit?'

Jul. 30—It's always great to hear an artist start a concert with a favorite song.

That proved to be the case for me when Jason Boland & The Stragglers performed the opening number for their headlining set at the July 22 edition of the Dancing Rabbit Music Festival in downtown McAlester.

By the time Boland and band took to the stage for the free concert, crowds of people lined the sidewalks and street, in addition to all of those dancing, jumping and generally having an all-around good time in the area along Choctaw Avenue directly in front of the outdoor stage, nicknamed the Briar Patch.

With many fans already pumped by the opening shows from the Red Dirt Rangers, Kody West, and Cody Canada and The Departed for what's been called a Red Dirt Reunion, they were primed and ready when Boland & The Stragglers played the opening notes of their set.

They opened with a long intro featuring steel guitar, keyboards, Boland's guitar, bass and drums all joining together to create an other-worldly sound.

Could it be? It sounded as if they might open with the show with the song I really wanted to hear, the title track from Boland's most recent album.

They then snapped into the heart of the song, as Boland sang the opening lines to a rollicking beat:

"There's a place round here, when the fish will always bite. That's where they found me on one dark and fateful night."

While the song may start out as sort of backwoods anthem, it's one of the lead tracks to Boland's concept album, "The Light Saw Me" — about an 1890s Texas cowboy abducted by aliens and transported to the 1990s.

The bucolic backwoods scene is interrupted as Boland sang:

"Look out above. That ain't the moon shining through the trees.

"Whoa my love, I saw the light but more importantly, the light saw me."

After Boland finished the song, he greeted the crowd along Choctaw Avenue with "What's up Dancing Rabbit?"

If someone heard "The Light Saw Me" without seeing the album cover or learning through other means it regarded an alien abduction, the listener probably wouldn't connect it with the concept, which means the song can stand alone or as part of the album's narrative.

If the concept sounds a little different for a Red Dirt music artist such as Boland, that's fine with him.

He told the News-Capital in an advance interview for the Dancing Rabbit show he likes to keep his music fresh and original — and he's certainly done that with "The Light Saw Me."

Red Dirt fans shouldn't be put off by the concept. The album is filled with that signature Boland sound.

Red Dirt music, which has its roots in Stillwater, is considered an alternative to much of the 'Bro country' sounds emanating from Nashville these days. It's all about the music and not looking at grinding out hits as a top priority — although Red Dirt music has scored in Nashville, too, with bands such as The Great Divide and Cody Canada's first band, Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Boland sang about the disparity between much of what's coming from Nashville today with what many Red Dirt fans consider real country music with his second song of the night, simply titled "Hank" — and yes, it's about that Hank.

"You don't like my music; you don't like my songs; you say you want to party; you say you want to rock and roll," Boland sang.

"That carbon copy music, don't mean a damn to me," Boland continued. "Hank Williams couldn't make it now in Nashville, Tennessee."

Early in his set, Boland performed "Pearl Snaps," an anthem to the snaps on those western shirts, which brought an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

A couple of songs later, the band tore into "Tulsa Time," which many down front recognized from its opening riff, judging by their response.

Featuring a smoking solo from steel guitarist A.J. Slaughter and a riveting fiddle turn from Nick Gedra, the rhythm section of bassist Grant Tracy and drummer Jake Lynn laid a rock solid foundation, with keyboardist Andrew Blair rounding out the band.

Memo to Don Williams and Eric Clapton. There's another artist who now lays claim to "Tulsa Time" — and Jason Boland & The Stragglers' take is now my favorite of the three.

Not to diss Williams and his original version or Clapton's rocking turn on the tune, but maybe because Boland's a native Oklahoman, he really gets into the heart of the song, along with those magnificent turns by The Stragglers.

Another of Boland's well-know songs, "Dark and Dirty Mile," continued the Red Dirt groove.

By the time Boland played another ode to his native state, the audience seemed happy to be along for the ride as he sang:

"If I ever get back to Oklahoma, gonna nail my feet to the ground; too many stones are in my path; I've been trippin' and fallin' down."

He also threw in some lines about the state's two largest cities when he sang "Those Oklahoma City girls are fine and Tulsa's quite a town. If I ever get back to Oklahoma, gonna nail my feet to the ground."

Boland's set contained a few traditional-sounding country western songs.

He also sang "Gallo del Cielo," a Spanish-tinged tune of the sort Marty Robbins liked to perform.

Boland strode the stage during his concert, stepping away from the microphone and frequently walking up to individual band members as they performed their solos.

As they neared their set closers with "Blowing Through the Hills" and "Outlaw Band," Boland and band looked as if they'd had as much fun performing as festival-goers did listening to them.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "came to play and not just for the ride" as Willie Nelson phrased it in his classic song, "Me and Paul."

They delivered an energetic 20-song set that had the Rabbit hopping all along Choctaw Avenue.

When he finished his last song, Boland unstrapped his guitar, strode to center stage, took his Western hat in his hand and lifted both arms high in the air in a sort of victory salute.

All along Choctaw Avenue, smiling fans lifted their arms high, as they returned the salute to Boland & The Stragglers — a fitting way to conclude a powerful performance.

Dancing Rabbit Music Association President Blake Lynch said the Red Dirt Reunion show is the largest yet of the Dancing Rabbit Music Festival shows, which began in May 2021.

Once again, the DRMA members, along with the help of volunteers and supporters, have set the bar even higher with the final outdoor show for the summer.

And again, the Dancing Rabbit Music Festival has succeeded in its twin goals of making McAlester known as a regional music hub and attracting more visitors to the city along with local and area fans.

I can hardly wait to see what the Rabbit's bringing next.