Images: Hank Williams III October 11, 2013 at the House of Blues

I’d never seen Hank 3 live before but had heard rumors about how great he is, so I was really psyched for this show. There were no openers, as Hank fills the night with three different sets, one county, one hellbilly and one metal. One of the cool things about that kind of setup is the diversity of the crowd. People from all walks of life were there rubbing shoulders. A guy wearing a giant cowboy hat bumped into me hard at the bar and just slapped me on the back and said “What’s happening there buddy?!” with a smile. It was like his way of saying “sorry about that, but you seem OK.” Definitely not the kind of guy I’d meet at the usual shows I go to, and that’s awesome.

Hank opened the country set with “Straight to Hell” which got everyone stomping their feet and dancing. The first hour was fantastic. Hank’s lyrics are relatable, and the music is such a cool non-poppy country throwback. Like his grandfather before him, Hank’s vocal styling just hits home. He writes about what he knows, having a good time, smoking and life on the road. “Just a crazed country rebel and I’m drifting from state to state.” I should mention that the banjo player is a straight shredder. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, people totally pit at Hank 3 shows. He has a way of riling up the crowd with some fast songs, almost reminding me of a Flogging Molly-style pit at points, which I think musically relates.

After the country portion of the evening, Hank put on a black button up shirt, removed his cowboy hat and tucked all his hair into another hat, marking the beginning of the hellbilly set, as his drummer took the stage forming the two-man band of Fiendish Threat. This set was really good, with punkish sounds almost in the vein of The Misfits and Bad Brains. The pit doubled in size, and the older members of the crowd left the building.

I stepped outside to check out merch and get some air and when I returned, his ADD (Attention Deficit Domination) portion of the set had started. The whole stage was black and you couldn’t see Hank’s face – this was doom metal in progress. I would say 20 percent of his original audience stayed. On stage, there was a wall of speakers just for Hank’s guitar. He sounded massive, he was massive.

I’m really glad I stayed for all three sets, and I’m absolutely amazed that he has the kind of energy to do this every night. Hoping he rolls through town again soon.

-Tyler Newton | http://500px.com/spottedlens