photos: Nicholas Stock

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The North Mississippi Allstars are on tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut—and seminal blues album—Shake Hands with Shorty. This Hill Country masterpiece was a collaborative effort featuring some of the greatest performers in the history of the subgenre. But the story goes back even further, to “Mississippi” Fred McDowell and the African rhythms embedded in traditional Delta Blues. This music is more percussive and repetitive, earning it the nickname “hypnotic boogie.” Hell, even The Black Keys put out a Hill Country Blues album—Delta Kream—featuring members of R.L. Burnside’s and Junior Kimbrough’s original bands.

However, no band today has taken this music to more audiences than the North Mississippi Allstars. The progeny of famed Memphis-based music producer Jim Dickinson, brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson were raised surrounded by musical creativity and unbelievable talent. The result? Twenty-five years later, they’re still carrying the torch—bringing this music to the masses and celebrating the culture that birthed it.

The Gothic Theatre, an old Art Deco movie house and the first venue to show “talkies” in Denver, has been refurbished into an intimate concert hall while keeping its sleek, vintage charm. Fans lined up early to grab seats in the balcony, while the floor slowly filled in. The night opened with a solo performance from Jontavious Willis.

Willis approaches the blues much like the earliest pioneers: alone, with just an acoustic guitar. The power of his style lies in his deep reverence for traditional blues music. Hailing from Georgia, his vocals drip with Southern soul. And his picking? Absolutely mesmerizing. Fans leaned in to witness this phenom coax sounds from his guitar that were nothing short of spellbinding.

“Drummer Boy Blues” came with a story—as many of his songs do—about a young performer who could only keep time on a drum. During the tune, his guitar transformed into a percussive instrument. He treated us to a sweltering version of “Sweet Home Chicago,” and during his original “Young Kingfish,” his guitar took on a life of its own, becoming a character in the story. The hauntingly beautiful “Ghost Woman” silenced the crowd. He closed out his 40-minute set with a rendition of Chick Willi’  suggestively fun track “Mother Fuyer.” (Look it up.)

After a brief changeover, the stage was set for the North Mississippi Allstars. Since founding bassist Chris Chew’s departure, a rotating cast of friends and family have filled in on the bass. Still, the heart of the band has always been its collaborative spirit, with Luther and Cody Dickinson remaining the only permanent fixtures.

This time around, they were joined by longtime friend Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman and Joey Williams from the Blind Boys of Alabama. This lineup appears to have inspired their upcoming album Still Shakin’, due out in June. The band launched into a riff that evolved into a tight “Snake Drive.” The foursome tore through a psychedelic version of their now-classic “Ship.” A transcendental “Up and Rolling” into a punchy “Mississippi Boll Weevil” marked an early highlight.

Joey sang a powerful rendition of Inez Andrews’ gospel rocker “Lord Don’t Move That Mountain” in honor of his late father, Big Joe. “See That Moon” lit up the room before it turned hot and heavy with “Goin’ Down South.”

“Shake” became a lesson in blues jamming, giving each band member a moment to shine. Cody broke out the electric washboard for an enchanting “Psychedelic Sex Machine,” before they launched into a wholly original take on Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody,” with Joey on vocals again. They also debuted a remixed version of R.L. Burnside’s “Poor Boy,” which will appear on the new record.

Late in the show, a fan yelled out, “Snake Drive.” Luther let him know they’d opened with it—but still obliged the request with a fiery “Preaching Blues.” They took us to church with “Call That Gone,” which transitioned into the anthemic “Prayer for Peace.” “Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down” was a slow burn, with Luther keeping the spotlight squarely on his guitar. They wrapped up a gargantuan blues set with a chunky “Set Sail” into a bouncy “Glory Glory,” which saw Cody absolutely light up the room. They never left the stage but the ‘encore’ was a tight, soulful rendition of “Don’t Let the Devil Ride.”

It’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from one of the most dynamic and entertaining blues acts touring today. The North Mississippi Allstars have electrified audiences for a quarter-century while staying true to their deep Hill Country roots. After years of lineup changes and the passing of longtime collaborator Carl Dufrene, the band seems to be hitting a new stride with Ray Ray and Joey Williams at their side. With a new album on the horizon, it feels like the next chapter is being written in real time.