Psychobilly peddler The Reverend Horton Heat [ tickets ] is as close as it gets to a sure thing in concert, a near lock to deliver inspired fun every time he takes a stage.

Before a close-to-capacity, near-universally tattooed crowd of every shape and size, the Reverend didn't disappoint during his 90-plus minute, Sunday (7/9) gig at the Sacramento, CA, club Empire.

Singer/guitarist Jim Heath (a.k.a. the Reverend) and his charismatic bassist, Jimbo Wallace (stand-up bass, of course), are currently breaking in new drummer Paul Simmons--an original member of Th' Legendary Shack Shakers--but the trio still managed to turn in a tight show that that focused on the Rev's well-worn favorites.

Simmons came across Sunday as a fairly traditional punk/rockabilly drummer. He didn't display any of the subtle, unique touches his predecessor, Scott Churilla (who's now with Supersuckers), brought to the table, but that might be because he's still feeling out his new bandmates. Simmons will have plenty of time to learn the ropes in the coming months, since the group's schedule is packed with dozens of shows through the end of the year.

The Rev--wearing a salmon-colored tux jacket with embroidered flames--wasn't much for chatting during the first half of the Sunday's show. Instead, he rolled out a quick list of favorites--including "Baddest of the Bad," "Wiggle Stick" and "400 Bucks"--that served to grow the mosh pit at the front of the stage and drive much of the remainder of the crowd into seemingly involuntary, frenzied shouts of approval.

And why not? If Jerry Lee Lewis had played guitar instead of piano, he probably would've sounded something like the Reverend. He plays his orange Gretsch with a fast, crazed virtuosity inspired by the likes of Link Wray, The Ventures and Dick Dale, and, through thousands of gigs, he and Wallace have clearly learned to work a room. A few trademark moves: Jimbo rides atop his bass, surfboard style. Jimbo lays his bass on its side, and the Rev jumps atop the bass and plays his guitar. The Rev--while strumming with his right hand--grabs the neck of Jimbo's bass with his left, and works the frets as Jimbo grabs the neck of the Rev's guitar. The Rev and Jimbo aim their instruments toward the audience as they play and stare into the rafters, striking goofy rockstar poses.

The Reverend got chatty once the crowd was lubricated, giving a spiel about his phobia of bottle-nosed dolphins, and expressing disdain for music critics (talk about shooting fish in a barrel). He also started taking requests, scanning the crowd for suggestions as the set wore on. Not surprisingly, the crowd asked for such favorites as "Marijuana," "Psychobilly Freakout" and "Jimbo Song," and the group obliged.

Appropriately, the trio finished its encore with a cover of "Folsom Prison Blues," Johnny Cash's ode to the notorious institution 20 miles to the east.