Old 97's: Ken Bethea, Rhett Miller (vocals, guitar); Murry Hammond (vocals, bass guitar); Philip Peeples (drums).
Recording information: Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, Texas (2005).
One of the flagship bands of the '90s alt-country scene, the Old 97's never quite achieved the godhead status of Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, et al., possibly because their brand of roots-rock always bore more growl than twang. Though their eventual bid at major-label success and leader Rhett Miller's grab for the Ryan Adams solo-artist brass ring both fell short, they went on to perfect their craft even further, as exemplified by ALIVE & WIRED. This 2005 live record finds the band's brash mix of punky energy, sharp songwriting, and plaintive Americana at its most fully realized, before an enthusiastic audience in the highly appropriate venue of Texas's legendary Gruene Hall.