Roadhouse-rockin' country star Dwight Yoakam has come a long way since Snider saw him performing in a Nudie suit at Tampa's legendary London Victory Club back in the early '80s. Despite being a household name with several Top 10 singles to his credit, Yoakam's eclectic, earnest songwriting never garnered him arena-headliner status. Instead, he's become the hippest and most consistently critically lauded artist in the contemporary C&W pantheon, a man who can cover Queen in a Gap commercial, turn in scene-stealing supporting performances in killer movies like Sling Blade and Panic Room ("I'm Raul"), and count among his most loyal fans many who loathe just about every other country singer still living. He can count on discerning listeners to follow him wherever his muse takes him, and they can count on getting great music just about every time — his last two studio albums, Population Me and Blame The Vain, being no exception.
NOTE: This show was rescheduled. All tickets bought for the original May date will be honored.
Dwight Yoakam, Sat., June 10 @ Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg. 7 p.m.; $29.95 adv./$35 d.o.s.
This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2006.