With Fulks, Scott, it's double the fun

Darrell Scott and Robbie Fulks both are fully capable of headlining shows by their lonesome, but they fulfilled the Saturday night role of music by joining forces in the unusual setting of a church on a Sunday night. Label it double the fun.

Fulks opened with a solo acoustic set. Fulks, of course, is more than the performer of good songs across country, bluegrass (in fact, Fulks played a number of songs from his now-year old disc "Bluegrass Vacation") and more folkie elements.

Fulks has always been one funny guy in concert. His quick wit always serves him well. Fulks may have some songs with a healthy dose of humor ("Seventies Jesus" met that criteria for sure), but he is sufficiently on this side of being serious to avoid being any sort of novelty act.

Tonight, that was apparent with Fulks showing his tender side ("Fare Three Well, Carolina Gals"). Fulks tended to be nostalgic, looking at his past. That was particularly true on "Angels Carry Me," a presumably autobiographical song about being a musician and a father/son relationship. He continued in the rearview mirror mode with "Longhair Bluegrass," about a five-decade-old experience of seeing bluegrass greats like Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley and country rock band Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at a festival. Fulks, however, delivered it with a sense of humor thanks to extended guitar picking near the end.

Fulks is a tried-and-true musician. Lots of good songs, and his stage presence made that clear.

Scott may be best known for his songwriting – he played "It's a Great Day to Be Alive," a big hit for Travis Tritt, to good effect, while also having songs recorded by the likes of The Chicks, Faith Hill, Guy Clark (Scott turned in a highly credible version of "Out in the Parking Lot" tonight) and a bunch more.

While some songwriters may be better off remaining so, that was not the case with Scott. There was a lot of timbre and emotion in his voice. And that had to carry him because like Fulks he was solo acoustic – so the focus was on his vocal delivery. No problems there. He showed his vocal bona fides on such songs as "Kentucky Morning" about liking the small town atmosphere versus the bright lights of the big city.

Being the eve of the great eclipse of 2024, Scott smartly offered a medley of sun songs - "Ain't No Sunshine," "House of the Rising Sun," "Sunshine" and "You Are My Sunshine." A nice creative touch with some sharp guitar playing as well. He later would sprinkle in pretty licks on an extended "Banjo Clark" with commanding vocals as well.

At the end of the night, Scott called Fulks back on stage to sing for the crowd of about 200. Fulks covered the fast-paced Old Crow Medicine Show's "Tell It To Me" before they tackled "That Lucky Old Sun," a 75-year-old song.

There was a lot to like about Fulks and Scott being together. About the only problem with that was Fulks at least played a far shorter set than he normally would have, but at about an hour, that still was enough for Fulks to once again show his musical dexterity. Scott, a far lower key performer, took no back seat.

Church was most definitely in with a Saturday night delivered a day later.