Concert Review--Scott Biram

First of all, I'd like to thank Erik for keeping better track of the concerts in my area than I do. Had he not recommended this to me, I'd have missed out on a damned amazing time.

That said, Scott Biram is the kind of one-of-a-kind artist that, I now see, nobody should ever miss if he comes around. He's a one man band, but it's a lot more than a gimmick. In front of stacks of vintage '60s amps and playing a 1959 Gibson hollow body guitar, Biram wails, growls, and hollers original songs and older favorites alike (including two close to my heart: the traditional "True Religion," which I first heard via Rev. Gary Davis and Leadbelly's "Black Betty") through two microphones while stomping a little kick drum. It's dirty, and he has one of the purest blues spirits I've ever witnessed.

His story is the real example of this spirit. Nearly killed in 2003 when a semi swerved and collided head-on with his truck, he was back on stage a month later, wheelchair-bound with IVs hanging from a broken body, unphased and still punishing his equipment. That's seriously tough. He's fully mobile now and doesn't mention the near tragedy, but it's clear that death will have to go out of its way to bring this guy home.