The Dead Line

CONCERT REVIEW:

Jackyl rips through Renfro Valley


Nathan Hutchinson | July 1, 2024




There's just some hard rocking rituals that fans never get tired of witnessing - no matter how many times they've seen them before.

Alice Cooper getting his head gruesomely chopped off by the guillotine.

Brian Johnson screaming "FIRE!" as the cannons explode during AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock."

"Eddie" emerging on the stage during an Iron Maiden concert.

And Jesse James Dupree ripping through his chainsaw solo as Jackyl closes out a show with the band's signature song, "The Lumberjack."

That time-honored tradition continued on Friday night, much to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center's Old Barn.

With a whiskey bottle in one hand and a STIHL in the other, Dupree closed out a 17-song set with the familiar, yet frantically, fantastic finish.

"Tonight is what separates us from the all assholes who don't know how to have a good time," Dupree proclaimed to the crowd before using the chainsaw to carve up a large, wooden stool.

Jackyl has been having a lot of fun on stage for more than three decades, delivering an unapologetically brand of down and dirty, southern-fried rock.

The Georgia-based band burst onto music scene in 1992 with their self-titled album, which went on to achieve platinum status and hit No. 1 on the U.S. Heatseekers Chart. That release also featured four singles which reached the Top 35 in the American mainstream charts - including "Down On Me" (No. 10.)

Seven more albums followed, including 2016's "ROWYCO," and fans were treated to a collection of songs from all across the band's catalogue on Friday in Mt. Vernon.

"We got a family reunion," Dupree screamed.

"Blast Off" got the party started, before the band blasted through "My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine's Ass." Dupree then reveled in the not-so-subtle sleaziness of "Get All Up In It," Encore (It Makes My Bic Dig Her)," "Screwdriver," and "Down On Me."

"Can you feel that rock and roll groove coming down on you?" Dupree said.

Jackyl, which currently features Jeff Worley (guitar), Chris Worley (drums) and Roman Glick (bass), also delivered three covers - "We're An American Band" (Grand Funk Railroad), "A Country Boy Can Survive" (Hank Williams Jr.) and "Suspicious Minds (Elvis)."

The rest of the set consisted mostly of songs from debut album, "I Stand Alone," When Will It Rain," Dirty Little Mind," and "Redneck Punk," leading up to "The Lumberjack."

"I can't believe this is the first time we've ever played here," Dupree said. "You can make sure we will be back again, though!"

Jackyl is set to be on the road through November, with shows scheduled in Louisville at the Mercury Ballroom on July 5 and at SKyPAC Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green on Sept. 27.