Get Your Goggles: An Evening With Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers
Get Your Goggles: An Evening With Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers
by Jason Jones
Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers performed a headlining set on Friday, February 3, 2023, ascending to the 5 Points Music Sanctuary stage for a free show in celebration of 5 Points executive director Tyler Godsey’s birthday. Helms, who hails from Franklin County, Virginia, drew a crowd of all ages—and a full house at that—despite being only 20 years old himself.
Wearing dark glasses, a Mexican poncho, with long hair cascading from a ballcap; and holding a timeworn Gibson acoustic featuring an homage to Woody Guthrie that reads, in faded marker on masking tape, "This Machine Kills Pop Country." Helms took the stage. Not only did he look the part, he played it deftly, with his talent taking its various forms throughout the evening: a designing artist, a confident frontman, a sure bandleader, a capable flatpicker, an uncommon singer, a knowing songwriter, a bona fide jukebox of roots music. Playing a balanced blend of standards, instrumentals, covers, and original ballads, Colby & the Creepers journeyed through old-time, bluegrass, country, a waltz or two, rock n’ roll, ragtime, and the blues.
First set highlights included “Golden Slippers,” a traditional featuring Adam Cecil on fiddle; “Ding Dong Daddy” (originally recorded by Phil Baxter—Colby mentioned the Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys version that he learned from Brennen Ernst of Five Mile Mountain Road); “East Virginia Blues” (The Carter Family); and the originals “Liquor and Cocaine” and “Smoke and Flames.” Following the first set, the crowd sang happy birthday to Tyler.
The second set took an uptempo start with “Free Born Man” (Jimmy Martin), followed by the band paying homage to Tyler’s birthday, and then a cover of “Randall Collins” (Norman Blake). The Creepers continued their thorough exploration of American folk music, playing renditions of “This Ol’ Cowboy” (Marshall Tucker Band), which Colby dedicated to his mom; “Little Sadie” (Traditional); “Luckenbach, Texas” (Waylon Jennings); “I’m a Hog for You Baby” (The Coasters—Colby named the Grateful Dead version); and “Honky Tonk Night Time Man” (Merle Haggard).
While the songbook from which Helms pulls his cards impressed the seasoned crowd, it was the the originals, like “Mountain Brandy,” “Blue Jean Blues,” “Fool’s Gold,” and “Leanne” that truly showcased the potency of his already accomplished songmaking.
The band performed sans setlist, with Colby choosing songs to match the moment. Or, as he put it, “It’s an experimental performance every time, so if you like science, get your goggles.” Catch Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers opening for Charley Crockett in June. <>
Photo credit: Openhead Takes Photos