2014 NEMA show offered some of New England’s best talent
Last night’s New England Music Awards ceremony offered some fine acts from around the six states. But, nothing could have prepared anyone in attendance for the furious talents of The Party Band, a full marching band with horns, drummers, and a melodica player. They opened the talent part of the show with their horns blaring and their drummers smacking those skins like nobody’s business. That marching band set the vibe for the evening’s entertainment, and the night never lost steam.
Parker Wheeler And Friends host Willie J. Laws Band for a heck of a show at The Grog
Parker Wheeler And Friends have become a fixture at the Sunday night blues jams at The Grog in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The endless lists of featured guests artists include many favorite New England artists. Last night, Willie J. Laws Band were the featured artists. Combing WJLB with vocalist-harmonica player Wheeler and his usual crews resulted in several high points, moments of ecstatic energy, explosive bursts of guitar, sax, organ, and harmonica. The packed room crowded the dance floor for most of the four hour extravaganza.
Jenni Lynn Band kicked serious ass at Boondocks Tavern last night
The Jenni Lynn Band kicked serious ass at Boondocks Tavern & Country Grill last night. The Weare, New Hampshire nightspot saw the five person band force themselves to overcome sound issues caused by the weather. Despite a few uneven moments that took place while their equipment was warming up, the group knocked it out of the park with several tunes that reflected not only the band’s talent but also their ability to rearrange a song and make it theirs.
ThrowDown strutted their stuff at Ming Dynasty
The ThrowDown Band played three sets of blistering, hard-driving blues for a packed Ming Dynasty audience last night. The four musicians might have slowed their tempo here and there, but their driving, energetic performance never lost any steam. The Marshfield, Massachusetts restaurant must see a bump in their sales when this band takes their stage.
A Ton Of Blues lead a solid blues jam at RG Scooter’s yesterday
A Ton Of Blues have settled comfortably back into their previous jam venue, RG Scooters in Lunenberg, Massachusetts, over the past year. Yesterday’s jam found them mixing it up with many players from their local area without being distracted by featured artists that became such a fad at their temporary jam venue in Sterling. Arriving in time to see Jelly Roll Stu at the microphone, I immediately couldn’t help but notice the warm inviting vibe in the room. It was packed with local people rooted in their community with a strong interest in blues. Also, RG Scooter’s low tiled ceiling and carpeted floor did wonders for the sound quality.
Puddle Jump knocked it out of the park at Boondocks Tavern
Puddle Jump put on one heck of a show at Boondocks Tavern & Country Grill last Saturday night. The tight four piece offered a fun, danceable original called “Problems” that indicated a possible future for themselves in the originals rock scene. They also delivered, at the popular Weare, New Hampshire nightspot, a mix of modern, classic, and pop rock covers with driving precision and flair.
Chris Fitz Band rocked Smoken’ Joe’s last night
Chris Fitz Band played some seriously hot blues at Smoken’ Joe’s BBQ & Blues last night. Fitz was the monster guitar as he and his rhythm boys kept the energy level high for over three hours. These players were clearly influenced by hard rock bands. Their aggression surfaced noticeably even though their techniques were clearly influenced by what came out of the Mississippi Delta and Chicago in previous decades.
Adam Ezra Group conjures communal vibe at CD Release Party
Adam Ezra Group kicked off their second CD release party last night at Brighton Music Hall in Boston. A gathering of AEG fans made it feel as much like a homecoming celebration for the band as a release party. Ezra began the show with a solo acoustic spot to sing his new drinking song, a […]
Dave Austin And The Sound prove their high potential at O’Brien’s
Dave Austin And The Sound played O’Brien’s in Allston last night and proved they have the right stuff to make their mark on the greater-Boston music scene. The five piece band, lead by Dave Austin, played mostly original material layered with plenty of textures from keyboards, guitars, and bass. Their solid rhythm section drove […]
Tore Down House rocked Boondocks Tavern last night; new drummer has the right stuff
Tore Down House proved to be a powerhouse rock trio at Boondocks Tavern & Country Grill in Weare, New Hampshire last night. Solid is the best word to describe these three players. The rhythm section of bassist Dave Guilmette and drummer Ryan Barrett is tight as hell and lead vocalist-lead guitarist Mark Huzar sings it […]
