Photos and Review by Max Stewart

Bag Men made the drop at Smith’s Olde Bar with some heavy-duty jams on a chilly Atlanta Thursday evening. These guys easily qualify as a power trio supergroup, and their thunderous sound and chemistry is a musical experience that must be witnessed live. The band features Luther Dickinson on guitar (North Mississippi All-Stars, The Word), Nick Govrik on bass and vocals (Trigger Hippy) and the powerful Steve Gorman on drums (Black Crowes, Trigger Hippy). Each brings an individual uniqueness to their instrument and playing that coexist and come to life on stage.

After an impressive opening set by by the Jesse Williams Band, the trio played some strong originals (including “Boil Away”, “Can’t Leave Your Love Alone”) that showcased Govrick’s songwriting acumen and further proved that this band has continued to define their sound since last performing at Smith’s last summer. They clearly also have a plethora of covers at their disposal at any given moment, seeing as they could likely probably play most of this stuff in their sleep. Tunes like Al Green’s “I’m a Ram”, Clarence Carter’s “Snatching It Back” and a Beatles / Hendrix medley jam (which featured hints of “Third Stone from the Sun”, “Norwegian Wood”, “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Day Tripper”) all showed how fantastic these three truly are as a musical unit.

The sound of Dickinson’s guitar and other-worldly guitar prowess, Gorman’s monstrous but always serving-the-song backbone on the kit, and Govrik’s unique bass lines and soulful vocals are the perfect combination. If you appreciate top tier musicianship and watching three guys who clearly get along having fun and playing some quality tunes together, go check them out on the road!