Never really followed a band around, but when I found out "Hank3":http://www.hank3.com/ was playing not only nearby, but 2 nights in a row in the same vicinity, I had to go. After pulling 7:30 am to 4pm on a Wednesday, my wife and I drove the 2 and a half hours to Atlanta to catch Hank and The Damn Band. The last time we saw 3 in ATL, it was at Masquerade. Full of bodies, yes, but in a relatively spacious environment. "The Loft":http://www.theloftatl.com/index.asp was not as open as Masquerade, which led to a very vibrant and intense energy. Opening act "Psyopus":http://www.psyopus.com/ was loud and working the crowd. Math rock is a description I've read. Not entirely appropriate, but damn there were some insane rhythms and mad, screaming vocals. At this show, I wasn't convinced, but that would change in Macon. Should've known there was a reason Hank let them open.Hank and the Damn Band were in great form with a packed crowd. Never thought I'd be a part of it, but there was a pit forming during the country set. Mad props to my wife who held her own. Great set, almost entirely from the new album, but of course Cocaine Blues and 7months, 39 days were a part. Hellbilly worked the crowd into the frenzy that would be the Assjack set. At this point, the beer was flying all around, bottles and cans were being slung, and my wife had had enough of being stepped on, so we moved to the back and ended up splitting a song into Assjack. Turns out Gary Lindsey (vocalist in Hellbilly and Assjack) broke his ankle either at the end of the Assjack set or shortly thereafter. Hate that happened and hate we missed it, but it had been a long day and we still had the Macon show to go.Now Macon was a different vibe altogether. Opening at 8 (not the 9pm listed) was Randy Howard, author of the tagged song Hank3 covers so well on Straight to Hell. Great Country music. Grizzled old soul relaying his steps and falls in this existence. Howard even covered 3's "Things You Do To Me". Let me, though, tell you about this gem of a venue. Old-school movie house that got refurbished and reopened earlier this year after sitting fallow for about 15 years. "Cox Capitol Theatre":http://www.coxcapitoltheatre.com/ has a well-stocked beer bar and a pizzeria in the front. They do dinner and a movie nights when shows aren't coming through. To be perfectly honest, I was wowed when we first got in and all I could think of was the crowd from ATL and how this place was too nice for the rowdiness I knew would ensue. There were maybe a hundred or so people when Howard was playing and about a third of the crowd was middle-aged and there for his set and the Hank3 country set. They managed, though, to sit through Psyopus and even had some very drunk rednecks get up on stage with Psyopus. This band had dressed for the occasion. In ATL, it was hot and they were shirtless. In Macon, some were in western style shirts and denim,with a plethora of hats, the viking helmet they even shared with one of the aforementioned DRs. This set let me see the fun side of Psyopus and their ability to work even this crowd shed new light on them. I will be looking for their new album this coming February. By the time Hank and the boys hit the stage, there were maybe about 300 people in this place that could easily accomodate a few hundred more. It was fantastic, though, to get that close to the band and not feel like I had to keep an eye out for rowdies too close to us. Don't get me wrong, this crowd was as appreciative of the band and gave as much energy to the show as ATLs crowd. The country set was about the same as the previous night, but the senior covers were different. In ATL, it was "My Buckets Got A Hole In It", while Macon's was the last song senior wrote, "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive", a track that I hadn't heard 3 perform. Fucking Brilliant. When the Hellbilly set got underway, Lindsey came out with a bandaged ankle and was using a Radio Flyer to get around the stage. Hard fucking core, my friends. That cat rocked us all and while 3s voice was kind of giving out in ATL, he was prime from start to finish. Now, by the time Assjack hit, about half the audience had left, but the energy from the band was as intense as any time I've seen them and the added bonus of the guitarist from Psyopus sitting in was fierce.I can't recommend catching a Hank3 show enough. It's mad variety, truth in song, and by the end of the 2 and ahalf hour set, not only do you get your money's worth, you've seen three bands of three different styles. (and the time and acts referenced do not include the openers)The pics I've included are form the Hank3 site and are from one of last years tours, but they are still relevant.The guys are on hiatus until next year, but keep an eye on the tour section of the site for updates.From the Hank 3 site:"Another special treat came on October 9th, by way of Jesco White, who stepped onstage to a true Rebel Yell in Huntington, WV. Jesco helped out Hank and The Damn Band with the song from the Straight To Hell album written about his father, "D Ray White".See a clip at youtube "here":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ9xKmSS77g