November,
2006

Location:
Checkpoint Charlie's
in
New Orleans, LA

Time:  10:00 p.m.

Review by Jennifer

RAGAN DOWNEY -- guitar & vocals
   CLINT -- lead vocals
TWO OTHER GUYS -- and we would tell you their names, but their website is gone!  We think they have dismantled since that show.  Good luck, guys!

What a night -- especially considering that prior to the show we all spent the early evening on Bourbon Street.  The band is based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but plays all over the Southeast area.  We felt fortunate that they would be playing in New Orleans while we were there.  Unfortunately, the night didn't go as well as we'd hoped.  There were a few problems getting started, . . . equipment issues, blaming others for not wanting to share, being more than too drunk to perform, . . . and then the lead singer of the band was like a train wreck.  We had high hopes but feel the band would do better with a different lead singer.  Once it got going, though, the band itself rocked really hard and loud, which the crowd seemed to enjoy -- when they weren't watching to make sure the lead singer didn't trip over power cords as he wandered around singing off-key.  All in all, the music itself was excellent -- the vocals, . . . not so much.

Friday,
June 23rd,
2006

Location:
CBGB's

Time:  10:00 p.m.

Review by Jeff

Matt - lead vocals & guitar
   John Partin - lead guitar & vocals
      Chief - drums
         Ian - bass guitar
 

New York City ... Friday night ... and we are headed to CBGB's for some great live rock-n-roll. As guests of the band, both Jennifer & I had our first experiences with being "on the list" - and in NYC!  On the guest list at CBGB's, . . . HELL YEAH!!  Pay the cover at the front (or not), then through a curtain into one of the greatest underground rock venues in the world.  Band stickers from everywhere are plastered all over everything:  the bar, the stools, the walls, rails, speakers, stage, chairs, urinals, . . . everywhere.  They are especially great against the black paint.  The club was a bit smaller than expected, but who cares?  The acoustics were incredible.

A band from Boston, Mass. was finishing up when we got there.  RPG was next.  The break between bands was a short twenty minutes, and after a very brief sound check, the band let out with some of the loudest yet still insanely crisp shit I have ever heard.  ("Hard but not heavy," . . . in a good way. -- Jennifer)  So loud they seemed to be inside my head jammin' their asses off, with deep bass lines, an awesome guitar duo, and a fuckin' madman on the drums!  These guys were the epitome of leaving it all out there.  Just unreal energy.  The entire crowd was into it, some throwing their hair around, others trying to hear every word (impossible), most doing the head-bob, tap one foot thing.  ("There was also that guy at the front who would jump a foot or so off the ground, every now & then, in line with a strong beat every so often." -- Jennifer)  The set was only six or seven songs long, so it definitely left me wanting more.  CBGB's was a fantastic venue that any & all should check out.  Too bad they are being forced to shut down at the end of this year (allegedly a shitty landlord problem) . . . when they have been there for over THIRTY YEARS!  How can you shut them down?  SAVE CBGB!  Wish we could have stayed for more bands, but there are limited train times back to New Jersey, where we were staying.

Great band at a great venue always equals a great night.  Thanks, RPG!

Saturday,
May 13th,
2006

Location:
A Dough Re Mi

Time:  9:00 p.m.

Hosted by:
Lunartik Entertainment
&
A Dough Re Mi

Review by Jennifer

Cody Bannevich - lead vocals & bass
   Christopher Tompkins - backup vocals & guitar
      Wayne Cunin - drums

Charleston-based band of three young men.  I want to preface this review by saying that this is not at all my type of music -- punk, metal, rock.  However, despite not being a fan of the genre, I still have some things I'd like to share.

Opening up, they had a little trouble with equipment, but Cody immediately saved the moment with humor.  True sign of a real performer . . . being able to keep the crowd entertained no matter what happens.  Someone actually shouted, "Do Stairway to Free Bird!"  (No, I am not confusing things or making it up. haha)  A song called "Robert Sucks" -- or correct me if I am wrong, guys --  felt to me like Sublime had hit the punk scene for a few minutes.  I actually really did like it, but wish I could understand the words more.  I feel this is not the singer's fault, but rather something with the sound setup itself.  What do I know, though?

Cody, you were loud as shit, & a very funny guy!

I think it was the fourth song that really rocked out . . . really heavy, not my thing, but seemingly very good . . . and then there was that crazy ride on the bass train at the end for some odd reason. 

Quite a bit of feedback during their performance, but again don't think it was the band's fault.

Drummer played his ass off & looked deep in concentration the whole time!  I gave up during the second song wherein there was the shouting of, "What?!"  Then, I was so excited about the drumming (my dad's a drummer) that I forgot about that!  THANK YOU, double mallets on the pedal!  After that song, someone shouted, "It's all about the drums, Baby!"

The song after that one was fantastic!  Loved all of it:  both guitars, the drums, the beat/style.

All in all, I think these guys are just young and still have a lot of learning & growing to do.  We all have to start somewhere, gain the experience, and keep progressing in our fields.

Bryan Weber - vocals/guitar
   Ian Sharkey - vocals/bass
      Kyle Weber - guitar/noise
         Terry Sharkey - drums/vocals

Rock/Alternative/Indie band from Philadelphia; TreeGhost Recordings is their record label.  They have been on the road since January of this year!  I want to thank you for bringing your talent down to Charleston, fellas! 

There was a much faster transition to this second band than I expected.  Bass player Ian was calm, silent & even pensive (yes, pensive) prior to the show -- then the pitcher came & things started to relax a bit -- and at showtime he lit the fuck up!

These guys have TONS of energy!  I really did LOVE the way they were very into the music . . . but again, I really wish I could totally understand all the words.  Convinced now that something is just off with the sound tonight, and beyond the control of the bands.  Something just seems, perhaps, louder than it should be . . . in comparison or conjunction with something else.  See, I don't know much.

This is more my style than the first band.  11:40 p.m. and I don't think I can hear anymore.  I don't mean that it sucks . . . I mean that I literally can almost not hear anymore.  It is loud as shit here!  I hear a little Robert Plant in Bryan Weber's voice sometimes.  Jeff thinks he would do a great job with a Led Zeppelin cover, for sure . . . lots of screaming, though.

11:46 p.m.  Taylor from Maestro hooked the guys up with some beer while they played -- what a dude! 

Jeff thought one song was similar to "The Doors" sound.  Then, they totally jammed out & got me dancing in my seat! haha

I should note there was no feedback evident during their performance.

Ian had a nice voice - good pitch - but honestly SEEMED more comfortable during the times when accompanied by Bryan -- although he should wail out loud on his own, too . . . like he does with the guitar.

Seriously, I am not gonna be able to hear shit tomorrow!  If loud is for you, this was the night for it here at A Dough Re Mi! 

Some song with a tribal beat was REALLY, REALLY cool!

The, um, end was a lot like at a fireworks show, . . . a whole mess of stuff, which included throwing a drumstick through the head of a drum.  My dad, a drummer, surprisingly told me that is actually hard to do.  So, yay, Terry!

By the way, Bryan, thanks again for coming over to introduce yourself after the show!  We really appreciate the stickers, too, and put at least one Zelazowa sticker on each side of the Minnie Winnie!

Chris Patterson - guitars & vocals
   Taylor Nelson - basses
      Jordan Herschaft - drums & beats

This is the Charleston-based rock band that actually invited us to the show.  I really did dig the green drum set, too!

Taylor, I am AFRAID of the mask! hahaha

They started!  Hell, yeah!  Love it!  Insane mix of sounds in the intro., stepping into a phenomenal sound that made me happy I waited so long to hear them!  Play those drums, Bitch!  JUST KIDDING, JORDAN!  Taylor's bass was right on!  Not overwhelming to anything else, & still the heavy, kick-ass bass sound I adore!

Chris, thank you for that amazing shit you did on the guitar . . . still, before any of you even sang a word.

Oh, wow, I can hear & understand the words the majority of the time!  This is a good thing.

12:46 a.m. - Kicking ass!  Still only approx. thirty in the crowd . . . a shame so many others are missing this band.  Chris, you can really work a guitar, . . . but also, Jordan is a drum KING, and Taylor digs deep with that bass!

Absolutely no-doubt the best song-to-song transitions of the night.  Not a huge amount of vocals, which is good because the music easily stands alone in talent . . . but, it is also clear that the band is capable of carrying a tune . . . far.

I'm pretty sure Chris just told us they were going to sing a song called "1,000 pound ham (or hound, . . . whatever)," which he said, "we just made it up, just now!"  How can you not completely crack up at this?  Good stuff.

Seems to be a little Pink Floyd influence here & there.  Highly welcome in my book!  Floyd-influenced sound is hot!

"Defibrillator" ??? -- Great speed with the lyrics, Chris!

I think the drummer busted a stick . . . either way, Zelazowa stepped in & drummer Terry quickly ran up to hand off a replacement stick to Jordan.  Positive energy is contagious!  Thanks!  (By the way, Terry, I could tell you REALLY were enjoying Maestro's show!  That's really nice!)

Eighteen people were there to finish up the night!  Great job, guys!  Thanks, again, for inviting us to see the show!  Chris, it was very nice to meet you after the show, as we were leaving.

Show was scheduled to start at 9:00.  I do realize this is never what happens in music.  However, at 10:04, I began to wonder . . . when?  There was no show, but I did see two members of Maestro roaming around the bar area.  Zelazowa had been there at least as long as we had, I do believe, which was since about 8:30ish.  The first band, Battleground Road, finally started around 10:30.  We're still completely unsure what held up the start of the show.

11:20 was when Zelazowa got started, and I forgot to mention that they had a great intro. with some good lighting effects that added to it, without a doubt.

12:20 a.m. was when Maestro was finally able to set up.  We are still glad we stayed for that, despite our inclination to leave around 10:25.

Thanks to all of you guys for a really great night of music!  We look forward to seeing you again in the future, somewhere!  Sweet dreams, all!