Betty Soo, Omar and the Howlers 7/17/09

Omar and the Howlers have been making music in Austin for 33 years. originally from mississippi, they formed in 1973 and moved to austin in 1976. the original howlers from mississippi turned back, but Omar Dykes stayed and rebuilt the band. depending on how you measure success, you can say they became successful in the 1980’s when they signed with columbia and had positive record sales. to me, it’s the 33 years in
austin that define success, and still going strong.

Omar is quite the frontman and bluesman. i’m only catching up to them now, and i caught a handful of upbeat blues-rock tunes with a 50’s jump and feel to them before Bettysoo began her set. Omar has the presence and effect of a preacher. “do you believe rock and roll can make you happy when you’re sad?” he roared with religious fervor repeatedly until he had a satisfactory response from the crowd. his years of austin stage experience radiated from the notes of his guitar, his stage presence, and the small pompadour he was rocking up top. i witnessed a little slice of history, and i will be back for more of Omar and his howling.

for the few folks in Austin who were not familiar with BettySoo before june, 2009, they got familiar with her smiling face real quick the third week into the month. she was the darling cover gal of the austin chronicle that week. in 2008 she won the “new folk” award at the kerville folk festival, and this year she released heat, sin, water, skin, produced by gurf morlix. the album is all over the major FM airwaves in austin-- deservedly so--and i only wish her earlier work had received the same attention. the little of bettysoo’s music i knew previously did not have the butt-swinging and weathered morlix groove to it. the groove works, and the album is getting rave reviews-- i just know i want to do my homework for the pre-Morlix BettySoo.

there ain’t no special production effects on the album-- BettySoo delivers perfectly in person. she has strong vocals that are never too much: sometimes belting, sometimes thoughtfully feminine-- always clear and perfectly pitched-- basically as lovely as the cover photo from the chronicle. she played a handful of the bluesy numbers from the new album, and at least one more folksier ballad (which i suspect is reminiscent of her earlier work), a cover of jimmie davis’ “lonesome whistle blow” (performed in the past by both hank williams and johnny cash). her band was beyond solid, with Jeff Plankenhorn on an extremely articulate lead guitar and steel guitar (and vocals too) and her key player had some notable shining moments as well. my only complaint is that of the crowd-- this performance was both a live gig and an FM radio broadcast-- and some folks were a little too social on a Friday night to hear the lonesome whistle blow. shucks-- BettySoo belts it, rocks it, sooths it!