Ice Cream Man

After waiting in a line a block long to see Hank 3, we all finally got into The Trocadero. The house was packed and everyone eagerly awaited the band to come onstage. Then at just about 9:00 as expected Hank 3 took the stage and began to play crowd favorites one after another. Songs like “Thrown Out of a Bar”, “Six Pack of Beer” and “Country Heroes”. Hank played an acoustic guitar through most of the set, and then switched to a banjo for Troopers Holler. Towards the end of the Country/Hellbilly set he played electric guitar for the “Cow Punk” songs.
Ending the first part of the show he told the crowd that he would be back in five minutes. We barely caught our breath when Hank came back to the stage and began to play a full doom metal set from his Attention Deficit Domination album. Which was released in September along with three other albums, Hillbilly Joker, Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town, and 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin’. He played for a little over an hour along with his drummer. They played in the dark with a film running behind them with only a small green light on his microphone stand.
Then barely taking a break to put on a his costume. Which consisted of a bandana on his face, a cowboy hat and big leather shoulder pads; he proceeded to play more doom metal. This time from the album 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin’ and joined by the drummer and another masked guitarist. The 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin’ is some of the most unique music I’ve ever heard it’s real heavy pounding guitars with cattle auction recordings synced with the music. It was amazing to hear live. I wasn’t sure how it was going to translate from the album to the stage. I love the recording, but the live show was even more amazing!
As Hank 3’s song goes “Not everybody likes us, but we drive some folks wild.” This show isn’t for everyone but if you give the albums a chance and you end up liking them even a little bit, you will be blown away by the live show.  He played for over three hours and there wasn’t a second I wasn’t entertained. When he was finished playing he jumped down from the stage and shook hands and signed autographs. Hank Williams III is truly one of a kind!