Jody LeCompte
03-19-2006, 09:31 AM
Well, each year the biggest music shop in my town(Dr. Teds) throws a music festival from 10:00am to 6:00pm on five stages if memory serves. Luckily enough they were close enough that I could get from one stage to the next in under a minute, but they were far enough away that the sound didn't get all jumbled up. I went with Soup, Chase(madriverkid), Jake(phycho_scottsman), Jake's guitarists Paul and TJ, Soup's drummer and guitarist: Michael and Josh, and some girl that kept following us around.... All in all we saw about 10 bands if memory serves.
Southern Cottonpatch Gospel - Gospel Choir
I love the lord and the lord loves me but MY GOD this was an aweful show. It was somewhere around 20 of the members of my schools drama club singing hapy sings with wonderful, wonderful christian overtones. The only music was a drum machine and a keyboard player who should give up music for tap dancing. There was only one member of the choir that could actually sing in key and sustain a note that didn't make me want to stab myself in the ears with an icepick. The crowd singing along had better harmony... Overall, the drama club should stick to acting, and never do a musical ever again.
Hedgefund - Alternative / Grunge
Soup departed from our lovely gathering for a while because his band was going up next. They opened up the set with a song dedicated to a church that had a bit of a problem raping children, goats, and stuff... Kind of ironic after being opened for by a gospel choir. They played a relatively heavy set that was matched with clean and tight vocal melodies. The only break from the chest crushing set was a cover of Mary Janes Last Dance, I kept waiting and waiting for an uber distorted harmonica to pop up, but it never happened. Three girls stormed the stage to get on stage and dance during one of their originials and ended up ripping Soups lead out of the DI box. They played about half originals and half covers, and it kicked ***.
Machine Gun Joe - Alternative Metal / Jazz
It was hard to classify this band. The frontman seemed HEAVILY influenced by Zakk Wyld, Dave Mustaine, Marty Friendman, and the other great metal guitarists of the ages. The drummer and bassist however seemed straight out of a jazz fusion act. This band was led by Micheal of Hedgefund's older brother John Mark. Who in his own right wasn't too bad at those strung up woodsticks either. It was an amazing experience because the band had only been togehter for about 4 months but managed to be very tight and have a set of 8 originals and one cover, all of which were completely original and just sounded great. Each of the three members seemed to be completely comfortable with not only their instrument but each other, and you could tell. I'm definately buying the cd when it hits the shelves. The lead singer has already put out albums/demos with several other bands which are brilliant. Not bad for a 20 year old, aye?
Rusyz Bones - Blues / Rockabilily
I was actually in an antique shop buying a CD shelf when I heard an amazing bass solo played on what sounded like a Stingray, I ran across the street to see it was only some guy doing a soundcheck with his Ibanez ATK. I stuck around for a little bit but was utterly disappoiinted. They had a front woman who could hardly play guitar and sing at the same time much less front a band. I'm not much of a fan of rockabily in the first place, much less a medicre attempt at such. I left this stage pretty early.
Covering Ground - Classic/Progressive Rock
Soup came over as I was about to go eat lunch and said the bassist at the city hall stage had a beatiful midnight blue Rickenbacher I HAD to see, so I went to lunch a bit later and went to see the bass. The band kicked so much ***. Sadly, I missed the first few covers, and a few of their originals. By the time I got there they were taking a few requests from the crowd to finish their set and that was it. I caught them just in time for their guitarist to play Hotel California's solo. It was amazing. Why you ask? Because the guitarist had a broken hand and was in a cast. He was holding the pick inbetwen his index and middle finger and playing better than anyone else I've ever gotten to see live. Soup yelled that the bassist's bass was beautiful, so they let us chose the next two songs. We chose some Zepellin tune I didn't recognize and Purple Haze. The solos to both were improvised so well you would have never guessed if you hadn't heard the song already. I'll definetly be checking these guys out in the future. Afterwards Soup and myself met the band and the bassist let us play his '77 Midnight blue ric through some 30 year old GK practice amp he was using as a preamp. I want a ric so bad now.
Red House - Jazz
Red House was the most BRILLIANT thing I have ever seen in my entire life. It was a trumpet player, sax player, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist all just improvising a 2 hour jazz set. Their bassist David Hyde is the best bass player I've ever gotten to see live. He's without the least bit of exageration probably one of the best bassist Louisiana has. The sheer emotion and musical virtuosity in their playing was just amazing. I got to meet the Sax and trumpet players after the show but David Hyde wouldn't grace us with his presence. I also got to meet Lance Younger of the Lance Younger Blues band, he was obscenely drunk...
Lindsey Cardinale - pop/**** fusion
Anyone remember when Lindsey was on American Idiol? Yea, I'm not really sure why anymore. I used to think she just got by on her looks, but I had a front row seat in the local jazz club "Speak Easy" and the bags under her eyes alone drapped to her chin. She was wearing a tight shirt and short skirt with fat leaking out of every crevice. It was disgusting. She couldn't sing at all, much less in key. I was just waiting for my food and the next act. Her guitarist wasn't bad though.
Don and Aaron
Two of the teachers from the aformentioned Dr. Ted's music shop played the Speakeasy. We had to sneak in the back door to get a good seat. We didn't have enough money to order off the menu($40 for bar-b-que shrimp? wtf?!!?) So we just put all our money together and ordered 10 plates of fish. It was hilarious. Don and Aaron played a few originals, two kings of Leon covers, and a few covers I didn't recognize. I didn't like it so much becasue I'm not a fan of acoustic music of the sorts. Acoustic guitar, electric bass, no drums? Didn't relaly do it for me, but they were still talented musicians. I had to go straight home and learn Razz by Kings of Leon.
Dr G - Classic Rock
You have no idea how disappointed I was that I missed these guys set. I came out of the Speakeasy and heard Steve Wonder's Supertition so I went to check that out. They plyaed that and some other classic rock tune that I can never remember the name too, and they did a litle improvised jam. It was amazing. The bassist was holding up pretty well for only having one finger. The guitarist was playing a Steinberger, also missing a finger, that's what really caught my attention. He was shredding and doing POWERCHORD bends without the tip of his ring finger. It was pretty crazy. I think the bassist just lost his fingertip recently, however, because he would be playing something and sudenly realize his finger didn't go there and play something else. I'm definately staying for their entire set next year.
Broken Silence - Classic Rock
I stayed for a minute and a half of Mary Jane's last dance, enough said...
Overall, Id rate the festival to be a 8/10. It was the most fun I've had in quite a while. I just wish there would be better advertising and more people.
Southern Cottonpatch Gospel - Gospel Choir
I love the lord and the lord loves me but MY GOD this was an aweful show. It was somewhere around 20 of the members of my schools drama club singing hapy sings with wonderful, wonderful christian overtones. The only music was a drum machine and a keyboard player who should give up music for tap dancing. There was only one member of the choir that could actually sing in key and sustain a note that didn't make me want to stab myself in the ears with an icepick. The crowd singing along had better harmony... Overall, the drama club should stick to acting, and never do a musical ever again.
Hedgefund - Alternative / Grunge
Soup departed from our lovely gathering for a while because his band was going up next. They opened up the set with a song dedicated to a church that had a bit of a problem raping children, goats, and stuff... Kind of ironic after being opened for by a gospel choir. They played a relatively heavy set that was matched with clean and tight vocal melodies. The only break from the chest crushing set was a cover of Mary Janes Last Dance, I kept waiting and waiting for an uber distorted harmonica to pop up, but it never happened. Three girls stormed the stage to get on stage and dance during one of their originials and ended up ripping Soups lead out of the DI box. They played about half originals and half covers, and it kicked ***.
Machine Gun Joe - Alternative Metal / Jazz
It was hard to classify this band. The frontman seemed HEAVILY influenced by Zakk Wyld, Dave Mustaine, Marty Friendman, and the other great metal guitarists of the ages. The drummer and bassist however seemed straight out of a jazz fusion act. This band was led by Micheal of Hedgefund's older brother John Mark. Who in his own right wasn't too bad at those strung up woodsticks either. It was an amazing experience because the band had only been togehter for about 4 months but managed to be very tight and have a set of 8 originals and one cover, all of which were completely original and just sounded great. Each of the three members seemed to be completely comfortable with not only their instrument but each other, and you could tell. I'm definately buying the cd when it hits the shelves. The lead singer has already put out albums/demos with several other bands which are brilliant. Not bad for a 20 year old, aye?
Rusyz Bones - Blues / Rockabilily
I was actually in an antique shop buying a CD shelf when I heard an amazing bass solo played on what sounded like a Stingray, I ran across the street to see it was only some guy doing a soundcheck with his Ibanez ATK. I stuck around for a little bit but was utterly disappoiinted. They had a front woman who could hardly play guitar and sing at the same time much less front a band. I'm not much of a fan of rockabily in the first place, much less a medicre attempt at such. I left this stage pretty early.
Covering Ground - Classic/Progressive Rock
Soup came over as I was about to go eat lunch and said the bassist at the city hall stage had a beatiful midnight blue Rickenbacher I HAD to see, so I went to lunch a bit later and went to see the bass. The band kicked so much ***. Sadly, I missed the first few covers, and a few of their originals. By the time I got there they were taking a few requests from the crowd to finish their set and that was it. I caught them just in time for their guitarist to play Hotel California's solo. It was amazing. Why you ask? Because the guitarist had a broken hand and was in a cast. He was holding the pick inbetwen his index and middle finger and playing better than anyone else I've ever gotten to see live. Soup yelled that the bassist's bass was beautiful, so they let us chose the next two songs. We chose some Zepellin tune I didn't recognize and Purple Haze. The solos to both were improvised so well you would have never guessed if you hadn't heard the song already. I'll definetly be checking these guys out in the future. Afterwards Soup and myself met the band and the bassist let us play his '77 Midnight blue ric through some 30 year old GK practice amp he was using as a preamp. I want a ric so bad now.
Red House - Jazz
Red House was the most BRILLIANT thing I have ever seen in my entire life. It was a trumpet player, sax player, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist all just improvising a 2 hour jazz set. Their bassist David Hyde is the best bass player I've ever gotten to see live. He's without the least bit of exageration probably one of the best bassist Louisiana has. The sheer emotion and musical virtuosity in their playing was just amazing. I got to meet the Sax and trumpet players after the show but David Hyde wouldn't grace us with his presence. I also got to meet Lance Younger of the Lance Younger Blues band, he was obscenely drunk...
Lindsey Cardinale - pop/**** fusion
Anyone remember when Lindsey was on American Idiol? Yea, I'm not really sure why anymore. I used to think she just got by on her looks, but I had a front row seat in the local jazz club "Speak Easy" and the bags under her eyes alone drapped to her chin. She was wearing a tight shirt and short skirt with fat leaking out of every crevice. It was disgusting. She couldn't sing at all, much less in key. I was just waiting for my food and the next act. Her guitarist wasn't bad though.
Don and Aaron
Two of the teachers from the aformentioned Dr. Ted's music shop played the Speakeasy. We had to sneak in the back door to get a good seat. We didn't have enough money to order off the menu($40 for bar-b-que shrimp? wtf?!!?) So we just put all our money together and ordered 10 plates of fish. It was hilarious. Don and Aaron played a few originals, two kings of Leon covers, and a few covers I didn't recognize. I didn't like it so much becasue I'm not a fan of acoustic music of the sorts. Acoustic guitar, electric bass, no drums? Didn't relaly do it for me, but they were still talented musicians. I had to go straight home and learn Razz by Kings of Leon.
Dr G - Classic Rock
You have no idea how disappointed I was that I missed these guys set. I came out of the Speakeasy and heard Steve Wonder's Supertition so I went to check that out. They plyaed that and some other classic rock tune that I can never remember the name too, and they did a litle improvised jam. It was amazing. The bassist was holding up pretty well for only having one finger. The guitarist was playing a Steinberger, also missing a finger, that's what really caught my attention. He was shredding and doing POWERCHORD bends without the tip of his ring finger. It was pretty crazy. I think the bassist just lost his fingertip recently, however, because he would be playing something and sudenly realize his finger didn't go there and play something else. I'm definately staying for their entire set next year.
Broken Silence - Classic Rock
I stayed for a minute and a half of Mary Jane's last dance, enough said...
Overall, Id rate the festival to be a 8/10. It was the most fun I've had in quite a while. I just wish there would be better advertising and more people.