Man In Black …… Tex rules!
Tex Perkins’ homage to the ‘Man In Black’ is an evening for every-one, not just Johny Cash fans.
The Man In Black
We got all the songs Johnny made famous, a history lesson, and the biography of the man himself without all the flashy drama of the recent ‘Walk The Line’ movie.
What I liked most is it’s authenticity to the music more than the legend. The band is superb but subtle. Tex takes us on the life journey providing enough commentary to be informative but not judgmental nor schmaltzy. Each song is treated with reverence to the original recording. Sure the twangy signature guitar riff is there, but so is the slap bass and drum accompaniment which also give it the true Johnny Cash sound. The raw vocals highlight how much Tex can sound like Mr Cash without the use of technology and emphasises the personal strength of songs like ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, ‘Hey Porter’ and ‘Folsom Prison’. The highlight for me was the haunting version of ‘Bird On A Wire’ taken from his later recordings. The fun songs also added spice to the night including ‘Get Rhythm’, ‘Boy Named Sue’ and a fantastic version of ’Cocaine Blues’.
My father was a huge Johnny Cash fan and the night took on a very personal and nostalgic turn for my brother and I. We both concluded that both Johnny Cash and Dad would be pleased with Tex’s performance and that the legacy of the ‘Man In Black’ lives on ……