The Subdudes

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And so it was. Powerful, bermelodic Americana music (yeah, whatever that means) slathered in soaring four-part harmonies. Tight, unexpected arrangements. Guitar and accordion solos rendered with loving mayhem. Tambourines whomped into submission. Whoa, Nellie.

Born out of a single tossed-together gig at Tipitina's in New Orleans sometime in the late 1980s, grown into one of that town's best-loved bands (and a crowd favorite at numerous Jazzfests), and dismantled in 1996 to general dismay, the Subdudes are back with the organic passion of a thunderstorm. I saw them in 2004 on a Wednesday night, and the Ark was packed to the rafters with delirious, joyful fans who knew all the words by heart and all the players by name. The band pounded out song after funky, soulful, harmony-drenched song. One sensed they could have gone on all night.