DALLAS REMINGTON

Friday August 5, 2022

@ The Commodore Grille in Nashville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis/Photo by: Brad Rankin)

In the direct shadow of the Vanderbilt Commodores football stadium, out west of the downtown neon lights of Lower Broadway, sits the Holiday Inn hotel. But it’s what’s unassumingly sitting inside that makes this place such a go-to haven for songwriters.

The Commodore Grille, one of Nashville’s longstanding venues that hosts writer rounds, holds a special place in the heart for so many songwriters; those who called the stage home when they were new to Nashville as well as those that are just passing through town now with a guitar case full of songs trying to catch their break.

“This used to be a family show,” exclaimed Kyle Whittaker with a smile on his face and a laugh in his voice during the 9PM Friday night round as things quickly got a little more rowdy than usual.

Robert Daniels got the party going with “You Don’t Need To Be In Mexico,” Chris Garner kept the momentum with the up-tempo, modern country jam “Beer In it,” and Kyle Whittaker solidified his spot as one of the most solid songwriters in town with songs such as “Whiskey Burns” and the incredible “Trying,” which quieted down the party crowd quiet as they listened intently to the depth filled lyrics about looking in the mirror to face the necessary steps toward changing yourself for the better in the midst of lost love.

But it was Dallas Remington who brought the fire to  the entire round as she stamped down her artist foot, becoming more than just a songwriter as she revved up the crowd with her 90’s inspired country and an unmatched energy level that showcased every side of her signature feel as she blasted through 4-songs that gave the audience her personality while offering a look into the near future and things still to come.

“If it’s cool with y’all, I’m gonna get my goofy one out of the way,” said Remington with a sly smile on her face. “I’d like to say it was a joke…it might have been based off actual thoughts I had about something, but I’m not allowed to say that!” she mused as she delivered the hilariously sarcastic “Steal Your Dad,” dripping more traditional country stylings into her unapologetically southern drawl as she immediately led a rowdy clap along with the crowd that resulted in a huge ovation when she pounded out the songs final noes. 

With everyone now anxiously awaiting Remington’s next turn in the round, she continued to attract attention with her humorous tilt when she stated, “This for my ladies…Y’all ever see a hot police officer and think, what can I do to get arrested right quick?” before delivering the gritty, swampy groove of “Guilty” as she spit out the lyrics through the verses before hitting her signature, raspy growl through the chorus, enticing the audience as she wrapped the song around them. 

“I was in this bar in Missouri about a year ago hanging out with some of my friends and we’re all just having a good time and in walks this feller who literally had on overalls, he was shirtless under the overalls, and he had a mullet. And right there in front of God and everybody I said “RAWR”… that man right there is what I want!” exclaimed Remington as the crowd laughed while she painted the picture of true story on her current single “White Trash Heart,” as she transparently sang about who she is and how she unapologetically embraces it while lifting her right leg just slight enough to pound her heel down into the stage during the fiery chorus.

As the round arrived at its close, it turned out that the four songwriters hadn’t used the full hour they had, so Dallas Remington was selected by Daniels to give the audience one more taste of her newest music. Challenging her inner Joplin, she bent the strings on her guitar into the bluesy country tilt of “Wicked Witch Wannabe” as she left the crowd with mouth’s open, lifting her normal lower register to punch home higher notes in the chorus in an incredible display of her range.

FULL SET LIST

1) Steal Your Dad

2) Guilty

3) White Trash Heart

4) Wicked Witch Wannabe

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