A Rejuvenated Dustbowl Revival Heading to the Freight

Berkeley CA

18 October, 2021

12:00 PM

Description

By John Roos Morphing from a roots-oriented, dance-party band into a more lushly cinematic, soulful, and funk-rock ensemble can be a bit risky. So, if the Venice-based Dustbowl Revival's newest release, 2020's "Is it You, Is it Me," has taken some long-time fans by surprise with its sonic shifts, front man-singer-songwriter-guitarist Zach Lupetin suggests that's actually a good thing. Fear not, the group's eclecticism remains intact. "The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and folk scene has really embraced us but as we grew in this band, our tastes have evolved over the years," said Lupetin during a recent phone interview. "I'm from Chicago, and my punk and rock background is really what I love best. We're more in our element with the Chicago and New Orleans music styles . . . while at the same time, we'll always be influenced by Bob Dylan, and what he did back in the `70s with the Band. They are our musical and spiritual Godfathers." What has emerged on "Is it You, Is it Me"—the group's seventh album—is a blend of familiar-sounding and still catchy, horn-happy, dance-inducing tunes with more serious-minded, nuanced songs that aren't afraid to tackle the social and political issues of the day. Selections such as "Enemy," "Get Rid of You," and "Sonic Boom" thrive because they tell respective stories about family dysfunction, the Parkland High mass shooting, and social media anonymity (Instagram) without being preachy. Not an easy thing to do but Lupetin makes it work by putting a personal twist on the political. "I could never be your enemy/now I just can't be your friend" is a lyric written from the viewpoint of a daughter towards her parents. According to Lupetin, these words from "Enemy" were inspired by real events as the Trump presidency's corruption and obstruction of justice began to emerge in early 2017. "It was a really tough time for a lot of family relationships following the 2016 (presidential) election," said Lupetin. "You thought that family and close friends were on your side but then you find out that maybe they're not. People forgot how to talk to each other. Trump getting elected was such a shocking thing, and then you witnessed families drifting apart as accepted norms and people's rights were being stripped away." Lupetin, who cites Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Robbie Fulks, Tom Waits and Bob Wills as key songwriting influences, studied literature and creative writing at the University of Michigan. Some of his darker material was inspired by the great Edgar Allen Poe. A paradox of joy and sadness is a recurring them throughout Lupetin's songwriting canon, perhaps no better illustrated than in the melancholy yet hopeful song titled "Mirror." (This song was co-written by former Dustbowl mandolin player Daniel Marks.) "The overriding theme is one of forgiveness and possible redemption," said Lupetin. "It symbolizes leaving your home to go out into the world and re-make yourself while creating this new life of adventure. But what secrets and tragedies have you left behind? It's a bit of a dark mystery, even to me, honestly. Ultimately though, you need to forgive your friends and family for bad things that happened, that's part of being able to process a trauma or tragedy from the past." (Check out the song and cool album cover by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvB7aTTm2sc) After being ill from COVID-19, Lupetin is happy to back on the road with his fluctuating large ensemble, which currently features co-lead vocalist LaShon Halley, who has replaced Liz Beebe. (Lupetin and Halley—who he refers to as a force of nature--are also members of the self-described roots-n-roll band, Patio Club, which performs occasionally at local gigs in the L.A. area.) Writing new songs and introducing them to audiences is something Lupetin missed dearly throughout the pandemic. But that's now changing. "Songs bring you instant results, it's not like writing a book or screenplay that may never see the light of day," he said. "It's a powerful thing to get instantaneous feedback at our shows. We've been playing three (3) brand new songs that we're road-testing. Man, we hadn't been able to do that for a year-and-a-half so it's a energizing feeling." "Creating songs that makes you fall in love with playing music again is what will be the key to our longevity," adds Lupetin. "The downtime during the pandemic was a bit of a blessing because I truly appreciate what's so special about Dustbowl Revival. We will continue to make music that we're fired up about and get more fans to join us on this great adventure. Some people we lose, some people we gain . . . and that's okay. Just give us a shot because you're gonna love it!" *Dustbowl Revival with opener the Sam Chase performs Sunday at Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley; (510) 644-2020. 7 p.m. $30-$34 plus fees. www.thefreight.org Local COVID-19 restrictions apply for entry.