By Christian Scalise

“Rialto Goes South with Charlie Daniels Band”

The iconic Charlie Daniels Band made a rare appearance at the gorgeous Rialto Square Theatre in downtown Joliet, IL on Thursday October 1st, 2009 much to the thrill of the highly enthusiastic audience.

Even the chilly rainy night didn’t stop country music fans from coming out to the show. Nestled comfortably inside, the theater’s astounding historic structure and intimate layout brought the concert to an entirely different level.

After local band The Righteous Hillbillies began the show with a pleasant mixture of country/rock, fans anxiously awaited for Charlie Daniels to begin during the brief intermission that followed.

Taking the stage promptly at 9:15pm, Charlie Daniels received a warm welcome by the audience which resulted in a standing ovation immediately after. Wearing his signature cowboy hat, a red button down shirt, pair of jeans and cowboy boots, Charlie appeared to be calm and casual yet readily inclined to entertain.

Opening the show with rousing performances of “Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “The Legend Of Wooly Swamp,” and “Saddle Tramp” Charlie Daniels and the band sure knew how to kick off the night on an extremely high note!!

A large and beautiful American flag proudly stood in the background of the stage showing Charlie’s strong patriotism for our great country. I was very impressed by this inspiring addition to the concert stage. Even though our nation is going through difficult times, it brought a sense of unity and respect amongst each and every concertgoer.

It seemed fitting to have the American flag present because many times during the show Charlie proudly mentioned his many trips overseas to perform and visit with our troops. (God bless them!!)

During Charlie’s performance of “Simple Man,” a harsh but honest tune about ones recollection of the disturbing behaviors in today’s society often shockingly accepted, the song found many members of the audience ascend from their seats into the aisles dancing and cheering along as they boldly expressed their feelings on the issue.

I observed something particularly unique and quite entertaining about this show; Charlie graciously gives each member of his fine band an individual opportunity to shine through with their talent whether it may be singing, playing, or both. It seemed to me that each member of the band truly loves what they do and consider their working relationship with Charlie more than just a job, it is an endearing friendship!

There were many times throughout the show that it became more of a “jam session” rather than a typical concert which is usually not expected at country music shows unless it’s the likes of Willie Nelson, Keith Urban, or Brad Paisley, etc.

The audience enjoyed the numerous instrumentals, slick humor with an edge of southern draw, constant interaction with the audience themselves, and the lively camaraderie between Charlie and his band.

One of the many highlights of the evening was Charlie’s outstanding tribute to the man in black himself, the late great Johnny Cash on his thunderous version of “Folsom Prison Blues.” Of course it didn’t take much effort for the audience to quickly respond to the beloved classic with solid applause.

Another moment in the show where many found a personal connection was during Charlie’s acoustic performance of the almighty “How Great Thou Art.” The entire theater became so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Charlie showcased vocals almost unimaginable on his performance that those who believe know that it was the good Lord himself orchestrating the entire production. The chilling performance transmitted a very spiritual side of Charlie which I admired most.  Mid-song, Charlie’s band joined him on the song finishing it off with a full band. It was pure bliss and completely magical!!

Last but not least, the song that everybody knows, loves, and expects to be sung “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” closed out the evening. Working the fiddle faster than I had expected, Charlie brought the audience to their feet once again as they clapped and sang along with him on the rowdy tune.

For a man who is seventy-something years old I was highly impressed with Charlie’s boundless sense of energy and spunk. He is a man who loves and defends his country, appreciates country music fans, gives honor and respect to our Lord, and knows how to put on one hell of a show!! The evening unfortunately ended too soon at 10:45pm.

Full Set List:

1. Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye

2. The South’s Gonna Do It Again

3. The Legend Of Wooly Swamp

4. Saddle Tramp

(Instrumental)

5. Simple Man

6. 100 Miles To Memphis (Taz DiGregorio Solo)

7. In America

8. I’m Sorry (Bruce Brown Solo)

9. (What The World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks

(Instrumental)

10. Folsom Prison Blues

11. How Great Thou Art

12. Long Haired Country Boy

13. Malaguena (Chris Wormer Solo)

14. Dixie On My Mind

15. The Devil Went Down To Georgia

Enjoy pictures from the show below: (Photo credit ©Christian Scalise)