re: Non-Phish Show Of The Day Thread

The Long Ryders at The Mean Fiddler (London, April 18, 1985)




One of the greatest Cowpunk bands, The Long Ryders were among several notable acts to emerge from L.A.'s Paisley Underground scene of the 1980s. Led by Kentuckian Sid Griffin (now based in the UK and leading a bluegrass band called The Coal Porters), they blended rockabilly and honky-tonk country with garage rock.

I couldn't find a set list online, but included in the show are Ryders classics like "Run Dusty Run", "Ivory Tower" and the if-yer-heart-ain't-in-Dixie-git-yer-arse-out anthem "State Of My Union". There are also some great covers of the Flamin' Groovies' "I Can't Hide", Bob Dylan's "Highway 61", Bo Diddley's "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and the Mel Tills/Waylon Jennings/Flying Burrito Bros country standard "Mental Revenge", as well as a few surprises.

Oddly they don't do their best-known song, "Looking For Lewis and Clark", which actually made the pop top 20 in England and even got some airplay on college radio Stateside.

The Long Ryders - "Looking for Lewis and Clark"