Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern closed out last week by hosting music artist Jeff Rupp on Saturday.
Though it was far from Rupp’s first time at Dave’s or other local venue’s in the Starkville area, it was my first time listening to him.
Unlike some other local bands I have reviewed like Jake Slinkard and Company and Tesheva, Jeff Rupp was not particularly astounding. He did not have a unique sound to be showcased or drooled over. His voice did not flood the room or demand to be heard on a bigger stage. I doubt he would make it to the big leagues, but these factors do not take away from the quality of the music.
Where Tesheva hits you like a swig of absinthe, Rupp was a fine-aged bourbon to perfectly suite the mood for a Saturday night spent at Dave’s. Most of Rupp’s set was covers of iconic pieces and artists. Songs ranged from The Jungle Book’s “I Wanna Be Like You” to Led Zeppelin, with many others in between.
His well-placed runs on the acoustic guitar played off Walton Jones’ jazzy chords on the keyboard. At one point, Jones picked up the bass guitar while Jimmy Redd used his “birthday boy privilege” to hop on keys. The trio took a few minutes for a brief impromptu jam session before leading into another cover which got the crowd singing along.
Occasionally, Redd or Jones would add in a harmony to Rupp’s timbre. Most of the time, the dimly lit tables of people were not locked in deep awe of the musicians. Yet, after each rendition of a song they may have just lost in the background, the crowd clapped its approval.
The bluesy rhythm was just enough for listeners to want to sway along as they ate fried pub food and enjoyed drinks with friends or significant others. The music was exactly what it needed to be.
Jake Slinkard and Company plays like they have already adjusted their sound to perform on their own big stages. Tesheva plays the kind of music you would expect to hear at a music festival as you sit on a blanket. Jeff Rupp had none of this but was still everything you would want to hear in the moment.
He and Jones were able to just play wholesome, good music to set the vibe. Sometimes, listeners need the flashy fog machines and sudden breaks and beats to make the heart stop. However, the more variety someone adds to expand their musical palette, the more he or she can develop a taste for a sound at different points in time.
Sometimes you just need to sit and soak in warm acoustic bliss away from the sharp notes of bands filling a stereo. When those moments come, Rupp is one to listen to.