March 25, 2018

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After a forty year hiatus all five members of the original Dixie Dregs lineup made a stop at the Kent Stage to spread some prog-rock cheer.  The band is midway through their Dawn of the Dregs tour and several members in the audience traveled across the state to check out these progressive rock legends.

 

The fans were not disappointed as the musicianship in band is second-to-none.  Featuring axe-master Steve Morse, bassist Andy West, Dr. Allen Sloan on violin, drummer Rod Morgenstein, and keyboardist Steve Davidowski, the band sounded tight, yet free enough to explore different musical endeavors when the opportunities arose.

 

For those that are unaware, the Dixie Dregs are kind of a combination of Yes, Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull (with a violin instead of a flute) with a touch of King Crimson thrown in for good measure.  

 

The band played two sets that featured songs from their first seven studio albums but relied heavily from their first two releases: Free Fall and The Great Spectacular, as half of their set list came from those two albums.  

 

A few songs that stood out included  “Twiggs Approved” “Country House Shuffle” and the popular “Refried Funky Chicken.”  

 

Many of the Dregs tunes feature intricate playing, time changes and soloing by each member of the band.

 

And that’s just on one song!

 

Their two hour set came to a close with “Bloodsucking Leaches” leaving the audience satisfied, yet yearning for the 1970s when progressive-rock ruled.   

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Article and photos by Greg Drugan