Let's see. Checklist for a good band night.
X Great song list
X Great instrumentalists
X Great lead and backing singing
X Incredibly tight and well-rehearsed songs
X Excellent sound mix
X Boutique equipment
X Long sets and reasonable breaks
Got all that and quite a bit more at Sideout's in Island Lake last night when the band, VVX performed. I'll tell you right up front. I don't know most of the songs. I've been around a long while but I can honestly say I had never heard of the radio station named VVX either. However, as they say, "you don't need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." Likewise, you don't need to know all the songs to know you heard some great music last night and you also had a chance to see some superb playing by some obviously veteran players. Van Halen, Dio, Ratt, Thin Lizzie, Rush. This was very intense R&R, turned to 11. But what I mean by that is that the intensity of the music knocked you upside the head but the sound mix was not obnoxious, too loud or otherwise unbalanced. Everything was cooking on all cylinders for the two guitarists, bassist, lead vocalist, drummer extraordinaire last night and you need to go to see these guys next time they're in your area again. Every kick was there. Every break was flawless. The lead vocalist had an atmospheric voice that was perfectly in pitch virtually all the time, which is something you never hear. The backing harmonies were great as well. The drummer was a human metronome on steroids that drove the beat just enough with the bassist that the tunes cooked just that little bit hotter that they need to be to threaten to drive the audience's hearts into AFib. The two guitarists worked very well together and were real strong players.
VVX has a good following developing as many in the crowd were singing along with the band. VVX had a good showing last night and hopefully they'll get back into the area again very soon. Check them out on Facebook.
www.facebook.com/vvxlive
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Cabdriver - Duke's Alehouse, Crystal Lake, 3.3.12
Cabdriver describes themselves as a reggae/funk/originals. They consist of a lead singer/sometimes guitarist, female backup/lead vocalist, bassist, guitarist and drums.
Right off the bat, they started too late. I have two pet peeves. One of them is bands taking 1/2 hour to 45 minute breaks. I wasn't around long enough to see if they committed that one. As for the second pet peeve? I got there at quarter after 10 and they're still unwinding cords and plugging in. It got to 10:30 and they all went outside for a smoke or band meeting or whatever. They didn't start until 10:45. This is Crystal Lake, not Chicago. The bars aren't open until 4AM. My point is , they should have started at 10PM. Just my opinion. Also, they took a little too much time between songs.
They are good players. The first few songs were a bit tough for me as I couldn't make out the chord changes very well due to the mix. After a few songs, they got the groove happening and the mix worked itself in. The main complaint I had was that the female vocalist was inserting her little flourishes and backing work just about all the time on every single song. It was just a little much. Most of what I heard were two-chord and three-chord progressions over and over again with some rapping over it and, for me, I started getting a little bored. However, I noticed that as the groove started getting established, I saw more people moving to the music, which is good.
The drummer was solid. The bassist was solid. The guitar player was good. The vocals were good. I think the addition of a keyboardist would be great and add a hell of a lot to the sound. The songs just started sounding alike to me. As a HUGE compliment, I really admire bands playing originals. I absolutely applaud groups that do. It's a hard route to take but I really admire you all for doing it.
All in all, Cabdriver was a good band. I really wanted to see them as I LOVE reggae music. I didn't get exactly what I hoped I was going to get, but I wasn't disappointed either. I'll wager they played more varied material later on, but I was losing interest. Maybe I'll check them out another time. Check them out at http://www.cabdrivermusic.com/
Right off the bat, they started too late. I have two pet peeves. One of them is bands taking 1/2 hour to 45 minute breaks. I wasn't around long enough to see if they committed that one. As for the second pet peeve? I got there at quarter after 10 and they're still unwinding cords and plugging in. It got to 10:30 and they all went outside for a smoke or band meeting or whatever. They didn't start until 10:45. This is Crystal Lake, not Chicago. The bars aren't open until 4AM. My point is , they should have started at 10PM. Just my opinion. Also, they took a little too much time between songs.
They are good players. The first few songs were a bit tough for me as I couldn't make out the chord changes very well due to the mix. After a few songs, they got the groove happening and the mix worked itself in. The main complaint I had was that the female vocalist was inserting her little flourishes and backing work just about all the time on every single song. It was just a little much. Most of what I heard were two-chord and three-chord progressions over and over again with some rapping over it and, for me, I started getting a little bored. However, I noticed that as the groove started getting established, I saw more people moving to the music, which is good.
The drummer was solid. The bassist was solid. The guitar player was good. The vocals were good. I think the addition of a keyboardist would be great and add a hell of a lot to the sound. The songs just started sounding alike to me. As a HUGE compliment, I really admire bands playing originals. I absolutely applaud groups that do. It's a hard route to take but I really admire you all for doing it.
All in all, Cabdriver was a good band. I really wanted to see them as I LOVE reggae music. I didn't get exactly what I hoped I was going to get, but I wasn't disappointed either. I'll wager they played more varied material later on, but I was losing interest. Maybe I'll check them out another time. Check them out at http://www.cabdrivermusic.com/
Black Cat Bone - Duke's Alehouse, Crystal Lake 2.24.12
I stopped by Duke's Alehouse in Crystal Lake and listened to a good set by a 3-piece blues group, Black Cat Bone. They consisted of a lead guitar/vocalist, bassist and drummer. This is a local band and they appear like they're out getting their act together and they're doing a great job of it. The audience consisted of the usual contingent of parents and relatives and friends that newer bands usually bring with them and there's absolutely nothing wrong about that. They all drink and eat, too.
The singer was very good. He had a good voice and he had some great licks. It's too bad there were not backing vocals as well. The drummer and bass player were good. The drums sure could have used a mic on the bass drum to drive the beat a bit and to compliment the bass guitar. In a 3-piece group, the bass and drums have to be locked into each other to drive the beat and to get people moving and hopefully, dancing. Getting people moving is really the rhythm section's job, not the guitarist's. I also have to compliment the bass player's tone. which was excellent.
I really did enjoy these guys and hopefully, they'll hang together and get more confident with each other and bring a little "show" to the act. Good job!
http://blackcatbone.webs.com/
The singer was very good. He had a good voice and he had some great licks. It's too bad there were not backing vocals as well. The drummer and bass player were good. The drums sure could have used a mic on the bass drum to drive the beat a bit and to compliment the bass guitar. In a 3-piece group, the bass and drums have to be locked into each other to drive the beat and to get people moving and hopefully, dancing. Getting people moving is really the rhythm section's job, not the guitarist's. I also have to compliment the bass player's tone. which was excellent.
I really did enjoy these guys and hopefully, they'll hang together and get more confident with each other and bring a little "show" to the act. Good job!
http://blackcatbone.webs.com/
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Just some comments ...
Musically and performance-wise, things are getting a bit weird out there. It's my understanding that ASCAP and BMI are pressuring bars and restaurants to a point of making them make the choice between jukeboxes and live music. And some of the establishments are very small businesses that can only accommodate single and duo acts. Now, I'm a member of BMI but this really puts the squash on live music locally. I'd hate to think that these new generations of jukeboxes (that can pull any band's music up from any album they ever put out) could eventually, technologically, put a lot of musicians out of business. The DJs put a lot of bands out of business. I was in a small wedding band a long time ago that was essentially put out of business by the advent of DJ's, who without putting in the time and effort and training musicians have to put in to learn their crafts, just underbid the bands and pull up songs on their iPods and flip on their sound-sensitive lighting systems.
Have you ever been to the same Karaoke Night for more that three times in a row? From a musician's standpoint, it's mildly entertaining for about 20 minutes and then it just becomes a pure living hell. I know people are having fun thinking they can sing. It is entertainment, in a way. However, this is again taking away opportunities from musicians and those of us who have had to spend years and years to hone a skill.
And it can get worse. Last summer, I went to downtown Crystal Lake and they had a band playing in the gazebo at the train station for one of those lunch in the park deals. It was a good band. It had a female lead singer and the crowd liked it. The crowd was all out there in their lawn chairs enjoying some music and the warm weather. Then the band announced who they were and said they were from Chicago. Chicago? What the hell. Chicago. In McHenry County, where there are lots of very suitable acts to perform this kind of function, the Downtown Association picks a band from Chicago? I'm relatively sure the lawn chair crowd there did not train in from Chicago. I don't have to say anymore as I think you know where I'm coming from with this.
It's hard enough to put together three, four or five like-minded players and form a band. It's 10 times harder for that group to find a place to play. Certain booking agents control all the live music venues. They want to make their cuts off the band's pay. Restaurants and Bars use these agents to book in the entertainment so the restaurants and bars does not have to. Then you get the same group of bands simply circulating the area almost forever ... and many if not most of those bands are not from this area.
I'm not a booking agent. I never have been and I never will be. I don't know all there is to know about that occupation, although I've had to deal with them enough. However, I feel the restaurant/bar owners, booking agents, jukebox technology, karaoke, DJ's and the pressure put on small businesses by ASCAP and BMI all contribute in their own way to crippling the development of live music and musicians and on a local level it's musicians that all of them (except some of the restaurants and bars) depend on.
Just ranting.
Have you ever been to the same Karaoke Night for more that three times in a row? From a musician's standpoint, it's mildly entertaining for about 20 minutes and then it just becomes a pure living hell. I know people are having fun thinking they can sing. It is entertainment, in a way. However, this is again taking away opportunities from musicians and those of us who have had to spend years and years to hone a skill.
And it can get worse. Last summer, I went to downtown Crystal Lake and they had a band playing in the gazebo at the train station for one of those lunch in the park deals. It was a good band. It had a female lead singer and the crowd liked it. The crowd was all out there in their lawn chairs enjoying some music and the warm weather. Then the band announced who they were and said they were from Chicago. Chicago? What the hell. Chicago. In McHenry County, where there are lots of very suitable acts to perform this kind of function, the Downtown Association picks a band from Chicago? I'm relatively sure the lawn chair crowd there did not train in from Chicago. I don't have to say anymore as I think you know where I'm coming from with this.
It's hard enough to put together three, four or five like-minded players and form a band. It's 10 times harder for that group to find a place to play. Certain booking agents control all the live music venues. They want to make their cuts off the band's pay. Restaurants and Bars use these agents to book in the entertainment so the restaurants and bars does not have to. Then you get the same group of bands simply circulating the area almost forever ... and many if not most of those bands are not from this area.
I'm not a booking agent. I never have been and I never will be. I don't know all there is to know about that occupation, although I've had to deal with them enough. However, I feel the restaurant/bar owners, booking agents, jukebox technology, karaoke, DJ's and the pressure put on small businesses by ASCAP and BMI all contribute in their own way to crippling the development of live music and musicians and on a local level it's musicians that all of them (except some of the restaurants and bars) depend on.
Just ranting.
Alex and the All Stars - Broken Oar, Cary 1.28.12
Well, it's been a while since I've been out and about. Last night though, I had to go out to see one of my favorite bands, Alex and the All Stars. I had not seen them with this most recent lineup and it was a really fun group of people.
Playing inside at the Oar can be a bit weird as when it's an inside gig, the band has just about as much room to perform in as the audience has to listen in. The band sounded great and the biggest thing for me was the greatly improved harmonies. Alex has always been a great singer but Lisa's addition of some very tight harmonies has really popped the vocals to a different level. She adds some keyboard as well. It's good to hear Buddy sing, too. There was some excellent bass playing. Dr. Woods' licks just get hotter and Alex has always laid down a great groove. There are also some new songs.
A lot of us who play should take an example from these guys. Bands are supposed to entertain, sell beer for the bar owner and, most of all, have fun. An audience can always tell when a group of performers is nervous, has an attitude, or is just plain having a great time. These players are picking songs they like to play and you can tell they love to play them. That's the key. You can set your sights on becoming a huge regional act and work your ass off playing songs that most all of the others are playing and take yourselves as serious "artistes" or .... you can have genuine fun doing what you're doing and make this your life's enjoyment; not you're life's "work".
Good job, y'all. And good on your fan base and followers for making your performances fun events! Also, as a plug, Dr Wood's has a music store in Fox River Grove. Go there. Buy stuff. Take lessons. Support your local economy.
Playing inside at the Oar can be a bit weird as when it's an inside gig, the band has just about as much room to perform in as the audience has to listen in. The band sounded great and the biggest thing for me was the greatly improved harmonies. Alex has always been a great singer but Lisa's addition of some very tight harmonies has really popped the vocals to a different level. She adds some keyboard as well. It's good to hear Buddy sing, too. There was some excellent bass playing. Dr. Woods' licks just get hotter and Alex has always laid down a great groove. There are also some new songs.
A lot of us who play should take an example from these guys. Bands are supposed to entertain, sell beer for the bar owner and, most of all, have fun. An audience can always tell when a group of performers is nervous, has an attitude, or is just plain having a great time. These players are picking songs they like to play and you can tell they love to play them. That's the key. You can set your sights on becoming a huge regional act and work your ass off playing songs that most all of the others are playing and take yourselves as serious "artistes" or .... you can have genuine fun doing what you're doing and make this your life's enjoyment; not you're life's "work".
Good job, y'all. And good on your fan base and followers for making your performances fun events! Also, as a plug, Dr Wood's has a music store in Fox River Grove. Go there. Buy stuff. Take lessons. Support your local economy.
Friday, September 16, 2011
I think it's time to wake up.
I think it's time to wake up and start getting out again. Keep an eye open for some new posts! And by the way, don't try to add comments about my postings as I get nothing but spam in my comments folder and it's not worth sorting through all the e-mails to see which ones are legit.
Again, I'll see y'all shortly.
Again, I'll see y'all shortly.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Just Riffin'
Been a while. I've not been real active lately as during the summer and fall, I was playing pretty much non-stop. Also, there hasn't been a lot happening out there that gets me all worked up any more.
I understand we've lost some more live music venues. I understand Porter's Oyster Bar - Yellowtails Grill is closed now. Although I feel bad about that, the place was certainly not a great place to see a band in. Also, the owner had this attitude that was a touch "uppity" for Crystal Lake. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice place, but the food was too expensive for the quality you got and for ordinary average guys like most of us, this place was trying to be a little too "Chicago", if you know what I mean.
Although it's not in McHenry County, Idols Sports Bar is out of business. There goes another live music venue.
Talking about being a bit too "Chicago" for my liking, The Buzz, the new place out on Rt 14 in Crystal Lake, is another place I think may only make it to the end of the year, if that long. It's a square box room. Nice bar. It has a long line of benches all the way down one long wall. When I was there to see Phidget (yes guys, I was there), I was not impressed. It's too slick. The parking blows. The thing that really puts me off is that the management has obviously made a deal with Joey D to put some bands in there. I could of course be totally wrong but the band lineup as indicated on the web site screams of Mr. D.
So, if you missed Libido Funk Circus at the Fire Bar, don't worry, you can see them at The Buzz. If you missed them at The Buzz, don't worry, you can see them at Sideouts ... and on and on. That same circulation of the same old bands will continue. Therefore, the entertainment at The Buzz is nothing novel and exciting, except that you probably won't see many of the local bands there.
Bets anyone? I hope I'm wrong but I have The Buzz gone by December.
On the other weird side of things, The Cottage in downtown Crystal Lake has had some entertainment in there and get this, so does the Breakers. I haven't been to Breakers to see the entertainment but it sounds kind of scary to be thinking of single and duo acts in that place. However, KUDOS to both of you for having us play for your customers!
Thirsty Whale has bands. What an ant farm that place is. It's a place for the kids. It has bands but again, not a real fun place to see a band in, in my opinion.
Wool Street in Cary still seems to have bands although I'm getting tired of that place. As a side note, Double D, it might be nice to actually pay the bands a decent $. Just an observation on behalf of the musicians. The place seems to be taken over after 11 by the "Dance/Rap" contingent.
Well, I'm going to try to get out again to see some groups. Like I said earlier, there's not a lot out there that gets me excited any more. It's always the same songs. It's most often, always the same bands. I'll snap out of it eventually.
I understand we've lost some more live music venues. I understand Porter's Oyster Bar - Yellowtails Grill is closed now. Although I feel bad about that, the place was certainly not a great place to see a band in. Also, the owner had this attitude that was a touch "uppity" for Crystal Lake. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice place, but the food was too expensive for the quality you got and for ordinary average guys like most of us, this place was trying to be a little too "Chicago", if you know what I mean.
Although it's not in McHenry County, Idols Sports Bar is out of business. There goes another live music venue.
Talking about being a bit too "Chicago" for my liking, The Buzz, the new place out on Rt 14 in Crystal Lake, is another place I think may only make it to the end of the year, if that long. It's a square box room. Nice bar. It has a long line of benches all the way down one long wall. When I was there to see Phidget (yes guys, I was there), I was not impressed. It's too slick. The parking blows. The thing that really puts me off is that the management has obviously made a deal with Joey D to put some bands in there. I could of course be totally wrong but the band lineup as indicated on the web site screams of Mr. D.
So, if you missed Libido Funk Circus at the Fire Bar, don't worry, you can see them at The Buzz. If you missed them at The Buzz, don't worry, you can see them at Sideouts ... and on and on. That same circulation of the same old bands will continue. Therefore, the entertainment at The Buzz is nothing novel and exciting, except that you probably won't see many of the local bands there.
Bets anyone? I hope I'm wrong but I have The Buzz gone by December.
On the other weird side of things, The Cottage in downtown Crystal Lake has had some entertainment in there and get this, so does the Breakers. I haven't been to Breakers to see the entertainment but it sounds kind of scary to be thinking of single and duo acts in that place. However, KUDOS to both of you for having us play for your customers!
Thirsty Whale has bands. What an ant farm that place is. It's a place for the kids. It has bands but again, not a real fun place to see a band in, in my opinion.
Wool Street in Cary still seems to have bands although I'm getting tired of that place. As a side note, Double D, it might be nice to actually pay the bands a decent $. Just an observation on behalf of the musicians. The place seems to be taken over after 11 by the "Dance/Rap" contingent.
Well, I'm going to try to get out again to see some groups. Like I said earlier, there's not a lot out there that gets me excited any more. It's always the same songs. It's most often, always the same bands. I'll snap out of it eventually.
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