VVX - Sideouts, Island Lake 4.20.12

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