The packed, boisterous crowd inside Stubb’s Friday night (Dec. 7)was appeased as a super-charged Dewey Cox (a.k.a. John C. Reilly) burston stage to the intro by his band, the Hard Walkers, and darted aroundkissing swooning girls hard on the lips. This free show, comprised ofmostly concertgoers who attended the screening for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story earlier that day, was one of seven dates on the Cox Across America Tour,a mini-jaunt supporting the forthcoming Judd Apatow-produced comedy.And as many people remarked afterward, it was one of the greatest rockshows they had seen in a long time.
Cox’s brash persona woneveryone over with wild dancing and obnoxiously charming comic banterbetween high-intensity rock songs. He’d yell ‘Fuck Nashville!’ or ‘Doyou like Cox?’ before pulling a handkerchief from his crotch andtossing it to a girl. Then, he jumped into a song in the style of BuddyHolly, Johnny Cash or Roy Orbison while his impeccable backing bandkept up with plenty of stomp and twang. He played “A Life Without You(Is No Life at All)” in all its Orbison-esque glory as he raised hishand in a grand gesture to the balcony and hit a few impressive highnotes. Cox and crew also fired off a number of stylized covers like ajittery version of J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine” and Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.”
Coxclosed out the set with the title track of the film, “Walk Hard,” witha deep-throated, Cash-style swagger as he strummed along on hissignature acoustic guitar. After a brief encore, he leaped off thestage and through the crowd, leaving only a shallow puddle ofperspiration and a fallen microphone on the stage.
Now Watch This: John C. Reilly chats ‘Dewey Cox, plus live footage!
We asked: Do you think John C. Reilly has what it takes to grab a band and start touring as a full-time musician?
