Tab Benoit’s Tour Makes a Stop at The Belly Up Tavern
Zac Schulze Gang
From the Bayous of Southern Louisiana, Tab Benoit is revered for his proficiency on guitar. With a long, elaborate history in music, he writes soul-blues music that is often praised for its density and richness. He recently held a show at The Belly Up Tavern, giving Solana Beachers an unforgettable evening of music.
Traveling from the UK, The Zac Schulze Gang opened the show, making a marvelous first impression. Their members include Zac Schulze on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Ben Schulze on the drums and backing vocals and Ant Greenwell on bass guitar and vocals. Starting their set with “High Roller,” these three did not let the energy die off once, especially with Zac at the microphone. He was a fierce, emotive frontman. During “Woman” and “Walking The Dog,” their skills were exhibited greatly through solos on their respective instruments. They were a trio of vocal powerhouses, with a flair ensured to exhilarate.
By “She Does It Right,” and “Voodoo Child,” Zac Schulze had already verbalized his appreciation for the crowd, thanking attendees for arriving early to watch them perform. Their blues-rock, fast-paced music got the heart pumping, and a keen eye could spot the beads of sweat flying off them while they made the most of the stage. They jumped and jammed out like the punk musicians that influence their sound. When it came time for their last two songs, “Hellhounds On My Trail” and “Oh Well,” no one could hold back from dancing. Even when concertgoers thought the finale was simmering down, the gang surprised them by prolonging the music and maintaining that rousing energy until it detonated in a spectacular fashion.
Zac Schulze Gang
The vibrations of Benoit’s opening song, “Medicine,” shook the building from top to bottom. Attired in a colorful-patterned shirt, he stood stage right with his electric guitar. Beside him was Corey Duplechin, the bassist. Seated behind them, on the drum set, was Terence Higgins. Soon after, they began “Darkness.”
Benoit’s head hung low, his hair falling into his face, with his wrist moving imperceptibly. The strings on the guitar warbled–creating a pronounced string of notes. Many of the songs they performed that evening began with a verse, then branched off into an instrumental segment. The trio of musicians were highly familiar with the structure of every song and what it could potentially become before a live audience.
“Shelter Me” was followed by “Why, Why.” The beauty of the performance was being unable to ascertain where these musicians were taking the audience next. Some songs arrived without the accompaniment of stories shared by Benoit, as art that spoke for itself. But micro expressions revealed their enjoyment, the subtle smirks, the immense focus, even the shuffling of their feet when a piece built up and launched.
Tab Benoit
“I just wanted to be the drummer, that’s all,” Benoit joked, toward the later-half of the performance. “It was a very simple request. My whole life my dad was a drummer. He told me, ‘Remember, you got the most shit out of anyone on that stage. You’re going to be the first one there and the last one out. They’re going to get drunk, get the girls and you’re going to be in the back of the van, sitting on your drum set.’”
“I’ve heard that life is pretty interesting, that’s all I’ve heard. I always play music from my heart. I’m still learning how to do that. But there’s only one place you can learn it, just like right now. So, this is practice. I don’t practice at home. I can’t practice like this at home. If I was standing out in my backyard, looking like this, I would look like an alligator lure. I even got the squiggly things on the end,” Benoit chuckled.
He admitted to traveling all this way so audiences could open their hearts to music that comes from the now, or the present moment. Before “When A Cajun Gets The Blues,” Duplechin and Higgins briefly left the stage. Benoit performed the song alone, illuminated by a single spotlight, with only his electric guitar.
Benoit admitted the trees tell him things, “without being f*cked up.” He’ll step into environments where there are other creatures at the top of the food chain. “But I found out that my guitar had powers because alligators liked my shit. I’m not joking. I write songs with them now, they hang out,” he said. Alligators that enjoy the taste of crab legs and beer. The comedy was not lost to Benoit, or anyone in the audience. The next song, “Watching The Gators Roll In,” he claimed to have prepared with an alligator in Florida.
Tab Benoit
“It’s Alright” was heightened by Duplechin’s harmonies and continued exploration with amplifications. Higgins, too, completed an incredible solo, while also sustaining a controlled main pulse throughout the piece. Doubtless, it was one of the best songs from their set list, as supported by the audience’s reactions.
“This is more Church to me than any Church I’ve been to,” Benoit laughed. Before long, he was speaking about a humorous incident from his childhood. Once, he demonstrated to his teacher that he learned how to play “Stairway To Heaven,” and because she believed it was a religious song, she told him he should play it at the Christmas Mass. Benoit was ten at the time, singing at a pitch he cannot replicate anymore.
Tab Benoit
Benoit offered heart, humor, and exceptional music. Even after singing “Bayou Man,” the crowd begged for an encore. He concluded the night with “Still Gray,” a bittersweet, country ballad. Benoit has many more shows lined up for the rest of the year, all of which can be found at https://www.tabbenoit.com/.
To learn more about The Zac Schulze Gang too, visit https://www.zacschulzegang.rocks/