Sat August 13, 2022

By Jeff Smithpeters

Community

Watermelon Festival debut of South Down Main a triumph under the trees

South Down Main 46Th Annual Hope Watermelon Festival
Watermelon Festival debut of South Down Main a triumph under the trees

South Down Main took the Farmers Bank & Trust stage at 7:00 p.m. and played its patented blues-inflected country-rock.

New member Ricky Arrington added so many new textures to the band’s renditions of classic rock and contemporary country with his flute, sax and harmonica playing. When they played “In the Air Tonight,” his electric flute playing adding to the song’s ominous darkness a keening anxiety. His harmonica lent a plaintiveness to the brash proceedings of “Mojo Workin’” that makes clear the singer has acquired his strength the hard way.

The sound engineering was especially good. I like a prominent bass and Friday night it was downright thundery. The sound was detailed, colorful. It let the guitars whine, the drums crash and colored the singing.

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