If You Don’t Love Me Now, You Will Never Love Me Again | The Delta Saints Live Review w/ The State Of How | March 19, 2015 | BackBooth Orlando

by • December 30, 2015

They covered Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” I could say that alone, and for me, it would be enough to sum up my feelings about this evening. It was good. Real good. Not that I didn’t expect that — this is the third time I’ve seen The Delta Saints perform and they just keep getting better. But tonight, at BackBooth, there was an energy I can only articulate with one word: magnetic.

I walked into the venue just as The State of How was finishing up their set, and I heard them say as they were thanking the crowd, “Pretty soon your ears might melt, and maybe parts of your brains, too, because The Delta Saints are about to take the stage,” and I thought, “Well, that’s accurate.” Whiskey in hand, I posted up.

I was preoccupied; distracted by what might come that night, and what might not. So when they opened with “Bird Called Angola,” which is the perfect in-your-face, wake-up-and let-it-all-go kind of attention grabber, I was implored to shed what was holding me down and just dance. To be honest, most of their songs are like that, and man, am I thankful.

Fly away, little bird.”

Delta Saints Live Review

Before the show started I wondered if their recent decision to permanently exchange the harmonica for the keyboard would change their sound much. I was quickly reassured that these Tennessee boys haven’t skipped a beat and are lacking nothing. Their sound is full. Filled to the brim with a tension and progression that leaves you aching for release, and vocals that travel straight from the pit of one soul into yours, grabbing hold of you, hard. There is an obviously consistent element of passion to The Delta Saints’ music. Gritty, dirty, groovy, soulful passion, that is the perfect blend of Nashville and New Orleans. It’s down right sexy, in my opinion. And as I looked around the room, it was clear that everyone else felt the same way. I saw hands clapping, sweat dripping, and one of my best friends smiling ear to ear, twirling his girlfriend around in a fully engaged partner dance. There was an electric current that filled our space and came from every angle; for me it was equal parts from the stage and the heated stare of a star-crossed lover that pulled on me from the other side of the room. In my head I thought, “Why does this ever have to end?” 

I spent some time after The Delta Saints’ set talking with lead vocalist, Ben Ringel. We talked about their time in Florida, his plans for his family, their upcoming album (titled Bones, from which they played a couple songs, including “My Love” that easily shook me to my core). We also talked about their tour with Blackberry Smoke, and all the transitions they’ve been through as a group in the past year. When I asked him if it’s been difficult for them to identify what they stand for while going through all these changes, Ben conveyed to me that no matter what, they believe life is meant to enjoy and have fun. “You’re always growing, always learning. Life is full of uncertainty. We don’t know if we’ll be done playing in five years or when we’re 80. Everything ends, though.”

The Delta Saints Live Review by Sarabeth Jackson.

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