It has come to my attention over the years there are many people under the impression bands are made up of people who are not the most approachable.
If I said this were true about the guys from Come On, Go With Us I would be a liar, unless they are approached by the sound of slurred words drowned in whiskey breath and advice based on a Def Leppard concert.
The guys, Chase McGill, Jason Simpson, Dustin Hedrick and Chris Hurt, officially began nationally touring July 3 after Simpson and McGill finished classes at Mississippi State University.
“We were in school up until June. Well, Dustin finished up in May, me and Chase were stranded here [and] when we got released, we took to the road,” Simpson said.
Starting a touring gig became reality when the band members had to terminate their leases, give up their homes and all of their belongings except for the instruments strapped to their backs and headed to Hattiesburg.
Even with a few bad situations – the cursed band member’s, McGill, foot crunching through Hedrick’s fiddle, Hedrick losing his bag (resulting in him wearing fellow members ill-fitting clothing) and the van’s window breaking while loading a piano, the experience has been an overall success for the guys of Go With Us.
“[The road] has been awesome – perfect – better than had we expected,” Hedrick said.
The band agreed playing in Macon, Ga., has been the most favored place thus far and, in my opinion, with good reason.
“The Allman Brothers are from there, and they are one of the great Southern bands, I think,” McGill said.
Simpson chimed in, agreeing whole-heartedly, but noted playing at The Hummingbird in Macon added pleasure because of the venue’s great sound, professional staff and knowing great bands have played on the stage before them. It can’t all be good, so you have to wonder what the worst part is about the road: the sleeping arrangements? missing friends and family? not your recommended eight hours of sleep?
“I would say talking to bar drunks, whether you want to or not, cause they’re getting a good three hour ‘head start’ on you, and they try to talk to you, but you can’t really understand them,” Hedrick said.
This complaint should not be taken as the band members discouraging fans who enjoy drinking from coming to shows, but it is the drunk “football dads,” as McGill calls them, that should keep a good distance to avoid ridicule.
“Think of it like this: a dad that played high school football at a high school football game, that’s trying to coach,” McGill said. “They’re like, ‘Your guitar needs to sound like this. I went to a ‘Def Lep’ concert back in ’82..’ and it’s like, ‘Really man, that’s the last thing you probably remember’. ”
With all the characters the band meets and just the general ups and downs involved with tour life, sometimes it is the small things about coming home that really make the difference.
“This is the first time we’ve been back since July 3, and I’d say the best thing [about being back] is food – a home-cooked meal,” Hurt said.
Tonight’s show at State Theater will be the first in Starkville for Come On, Go With Us since the March 6 album release party which also took place at State Theater.
Tonight also includes performances from two other bands Come On, Go With Us has met during its travels with one being The Motions, from Columbus, MS.
“[The Motions] are really nice guys – really good music and they’re really young,” McGill said. “When we were their age, our music, I don’t think, compared to what their’s is at that age.”
According to Hedrick, if you are a fan of Come on, Go With Us, there is a big chance you will enjoy The Motions.
“They kind of remind me, or all of us, of us when we were in high school because we were all in bands playing in the same venues in Columbus,” he said.
The other band, The Magnolia Sons, hails from Lake Charles, La.
“We actually did the last week of the tour with them. We picked them up coming from Houston to Lake Charles and played their hometown,” McGill said. “They are probably one of our favorite bands to play shows with.”
For the fans who are patiently waiting for the second studio album, the band hinted around at February being the time the wait will be over.
“We stopped in Denton, Texas, and we found a studio we really liked with a producer we really liked,” McGill said.
The said producer is Matt Pence, who has produced records for Drive-By Truckers and Jason Isbell.
As for the near future, the band is back on the road tomorrow, heading to Jackson and will continue playing shows until the album recording process begins in November.
For future tour dates or to purchase the band’s album visit comeongowithus.com.