Photos and Review by Max Stewart

Scott Metzger is a man of many talents. He plays with the widely sought-after Grateful Dead torchbearers Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, has an instrumental rock trio WOLF! (who released the EP ‘Adult Entertainment’ in October), and is most recently on tour promoting his acoustic release, Too Close To Reason.

This December, Metzger has brought his acoustic release on the road alongside Katie Jacoby on violin (who also happens to be his wife) and Simon Kafka on a second guitar. The first show of the tour was at one of the best rooms in the country to see singer-songwriters in an intimate environment, Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

Katie Jacoby opened the night with a few songs off of her 2019 self-titled EP (including “Ain’t Right” and “Two Kinds”), as well as a fantastic cover of Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard,” where she envisioned Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osborne sitting around the campfire. Jacoby is a masterful violinist and songwriter, and it is no wonder she is a touring member of The Who.

When Metzger took the stage, he started with some of the songs off his strong new record, including “Don’t Be A Stranger” and “Cafe Hidalgo,” which he mentioned is a nod to a tour he did with Los Lobos. The song has some major flamenco undertones and was one of the many highlights. Metzger’s guitar acumen was on well display in a variety of different styles, and his counterpart Kafka had some stellar solos as well.

About halfway through the show, Metzger sang a medley of tunes, which included Nick Lowe‘s “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” Waylon Jennings‘ “Only Daddy That’ll Walk That Line,” Camper Van Beethoven‘s “When I Win the Lottery” and Bob Dylan‘s “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” and “Tell Me, Momma.” Metzger also sang a song he wrote about Georgia, “Halfway to Georgia” to the local crowd.

To end the night, all three came on stage and played a cover of Phish‘s “Stash,” which topped off a well-rounded night of acoustic bliss.

Remaining Tour Dates:

12/9 – Durham, NC – Blue Note Grill

12/10 – Asheville, NC – Warren Haynes Christmas Jam

12/11 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Pour House (deck)

Listen to “The Dark Triad” here: https://orcd.co/thedarktriad

“Yesterday, Scott Metzger shared a new track, “The Dark Triad.” It was originally recorded during the sessions that led to the Brooklyn-based guitarist’s solo acoustic album, ‘Too Close To Reason,’ that was issued via Royal Potato Family earlier this year. Metzger felt the song didn’t work within the 12-track collection’s sequence, however, he loved the recording and ultimately decided to release it as a stand-alone single.  

“With ‘The Dark Triad’ I was trying to capture a mood not unlike some of the Tim Burton claymation films,” explains Metzger. “I love that eccentric, creepy, dreamy, emotional aesthetic and was hoping to capture some of that vibe here. I think the arrangement unfolds in a cool, interesting way and really tells a story that feels spontaneous and musical. D. James Goodwin’s mix puts the tune in a specific sonic space, and Lorenzo Wolff’s engineering captured the sound of my old Martin acoustic beautifully.”