Rockin' at the Arena: Shinedown comes to Huntington Saturday

photo: John Stephens/Jonathan Lipking

Multi-platinum rockers and Atlantic Records recording artists Shinedown (L-R: Zach Myers, Brent Smith, Eric Bass, Barry Kerch) will perform at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington Saturday night with Three Days Grace and P.O.D.


Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith has “Your Pain Is A Gift” tattooed on his left hand.

“I’ve always told people that I write songs because it’s cheaper than therapy,” Smith said in all seriousness over the phone from his home in L.A.

Since forming in Jacksonville, Florida in 2001, the hard rock band, now with 17 number one rock radio singles and four studio albums under its belt, has indeed benefited from any anguish the 35-year old has channeled to spin into certified gold or platinum records.

Smith said work never stops in Shinedown, be it songwriting or touring. For him, that’s a good thing, and the overarching reason for the band’s success.

“We headed to Europe in October of last year, got off the road in November, and we’ve just been setting up touring. Now it’s 2013 and it’s time to get this show on the road.”

Shinedown will perform at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena Saturday night as part of the second leg of its 2013 U.S. tour, with co-headliners Three Days Grace, itself breaking in a new singer, and P.O.D. The band released “I’ll Follow You,” the fourth single from its 2012 record, “Amaryllis,” (which topped the Billboard Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative charts in 2012) to radio this week.

Smith said being in demand, having so many fans, can lead to some unfair expectations, especially from press types. Following up on “Amaryllis” apparently started not too long after its release in March of 2012. The singer recalled one particular hilarious ruse doing press promoting Shinedown’s fourth album.

“The reality is we wrote 33 songs when we were in the production stages of “Amaryllis” and we actually have, if you broke it down, we could release two more records if we wanted to.

“But the other songs were so good that, I was in an interview, and “Amaryllis” had just been out for like a month and a half, and they were asking about new material already. And so the guy said ‘Do you have a new record ready to go?’ And I was like ‘What are you talking about? We just released it!’

“It’s a running joke with us in the band, when we release a record. We bet on how long it will take for the first person to ask us if we have anything new written. So it didn’t take longer than a month. And I wasn’t trying to be mean or anything, but I was just like ‘You know what? We’ve already got like, another record done,” the singer said, laughing hard. “Which, technically, we could. We could release like two more records if we wanted.

“But the songs that made it to “Amaryllis” made it for a reason, because that’s one particular place in time for us, and that album has those songs on it purposefully.”

Saying he was “super, super stoked,” to get back out on the road, Smith said the band is continually seeking to top what it’s done before. “This is the biggest production that we’ve ever put together as a band, setting up for this tour. We’re ready to go and we hope everyone’s ready for us as well.”

In mid-January, as part of the constant process of moving Shinedown forward, Smith and lead guitarist Zach Myers played an acoustic set as part of the “Hometown Throwdown” in Myers’ hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Smith, a Knoxville native, noted that all those hit singles the band has start out on the acoustic, and said playing acoustic sets are a fun challenge.

“It’s always a lot more intimate, and a lot more scary to do it like that,” he said laughing. “We’ve played in front of one person, and we’ve played in front of one hundred thousand people. But being in a very, very small room in the middle of Memphis, with all of that heritage, it’s one of those elements where, there’s 1,200 people in front of you, and they’re right up on the stage, and you’re kind of under a microscope.

“It really pushes you to a level of, whether or not you really are a songwriter, and you deserve to be on that stage, let alone any other stage. But the fans always speak, and they spoke very, very loudly that night. It was actually hard for me to even sing the set because the audience sang it so loud I couldn’t even hear myself. That’s always a plus.”



Another plus is just living healthy lifestyles on and off the road. No clichéd rock star partying like you hear about. Smith, who admittedly kicked a bad drug problem, and lost roughly 70 pounds in recent years, said Shinedown’s fans deserve better.

“When we’re on the road, we’re working. I think a lot of people have the misconception that when you’re on the road it’s a huge party, day in and day out. That’s just not the case. We’re a business, and we’re an organization, and we’re a machine.

“The real goal is working smarter and learning how to work smarter on the road. Sometimes, you don’t have to play four months straight before you go home. You want to make sure that you’re rested, and that you’re healthy to be able to give the audience the show that they deserve.”

This leg of its 2013 U.S. tour will see Shinedown play 32 shows between Feb. 1 and March 30, a busy schedule indeed.

“As far as the separation between the time on the road and time at home, you’re still working for the same goal, which is to heighten who Shinedown is. And I’m only talking on a personal level, because I eat, breathe, and live everything that is Shinedown. But they are two totally different animals.

“I cherish the time that I have in California, though, because I’m able to be with my girlfriend, and when we have my son out here it’s very, very special for us. But, you have to separate the two; the road is one thing, and your life at home is another.”

Smith, summing up, said he attributes Shinedown’s success to hard work.

“That’s why we’ve had the longevity that we’ve had up until now, and why we’ll continue to keep going further. We’re never going to be complacent, we’re always going to try to outdo what we’ve already done. We’ve already proven that we can work really, really hard, and we’re going to continue to do that our entire career, as long as the fans give us a career.

“Sometimes, in this business, you will see someone else’s success, and, there’s this kind of evil jealousy that happens sometimes to people. And you have to squash that really, really early. Because the reality is, whoever is at the top of their game, a lot of times they worked for it. And it takes a lot of work to stay at that level.”

Hard work and honest songs; for Shinedown, a simple formula, really.

“People connect with this band, because they know that it’s honest. I think people see that about the band. Everything we talk about is something we’ve been through. I don’t think you could make it up. It has to be real.”

IF YOU GO
Shinedown, Three Days Grace, P.O.D.
WHERE: Big Sandy Superstore Arena, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Huntington
WHEN: 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9
COST: $23.00, $38.50 (plus fees: $34.28, $50.15)
INFO: (304) 696-5990
ONLINE: http://www.shinedown.com/

VIDEO: Rozwell Kid Behind the Scenes Exclusive: "Unmacho"

We’ve been waiting for it forever (actually we’ve had it for a while!) it seems like, but next week, Rozwell Kid releases Unmacho!

Recorded with all his bros at David Klug Studio, “Van Man” has been getting favorable thumbs from press types, and Jordan Hudkins has been caught talkin’ about the 10-song sophomore effort with various outlets.

Just thought we’d throw this up here for now -- more RK to come!

Morgantown jam band Fletcher’s Grove comes to Huntington with “Appalachian Reaction”

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch



Ryan Krofcheck will tell you he’s got what feels like an old soul.

This is an important piece to the story of how his band, Fletcher’s Grove, came to be. With its new 10-song sophomore record, “Appalachian Reaction,” Krofcheck will also tell you how important West Virginia is to what the Morgantown jam band hopes to project through its music.

Sure, there are the influences most jam bands will list; The Grateful Dead, and Phish, among other acts. But it was bonding over The Beatles and Led Zeppelin that set middle school friends Krofcheck and percussionist Matt Marion down the musical path that would later become Fletcher’s Grove.

Fletcher’s Grove performs at The V Club in Huntington Saturday, February 2.

Krofcheck, speaking over the phone from Morgantown, said the band’s origins trace back to being friends; Krofcheck and Marion at Hurricane, and lead guitarist Wes Hager and bassist Taylor Pratt at Winfield High School.

“I’ve always said being in a band is like having a girlfriend, and I’ve got four girlfriends, basically,” the singer and rhythm guitarist said, laughing hard.

“I was actually talking about this the other day, having a band from the same area, and having the same upbringing, I think it goes a long way in the end. You have those relationships built. Even our families know each other. Wes’ mom introduced me to my girlfriend, who I’ve been with for over five years now. There’s a lot of ties in there, definitely,” Krofcheck said.

“The emotions are more authentic; I like to write about folk stuff, one song on the new album is definitely the first folk song for Fletcher’s. But just to talk about stuff that happens in the region, it hits home for all of us, being from West Virginia.

“We are the Appalachian state. We want to represent West Virginia, be represented by West Virginia, and be proud to write about West Virginia. Being from the same place, wanting to write about it, sharing our influences, is exactly what we want to have with the CD and the title.”

Since forming for real around 2007, Fletcher’s Grove has become a staple on jam band festivals, and has developed a fan base that allows them to consecutively sell out venues like 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown.

As the discussion turned to his band’s new record, Krofcheck, mentioning his dad and uncles as big musical influences, talked about old ones.

“I’ve been collecting records, especially from my parents that they passed down. When I go home, if I go to Milton Flea Market, almost every time I’m like ‘I’m not going to get anything for myself,’ and end up walking out of there with fifty dollars worth of records,” he said laughing.

“The album, in its entirety, it died 40 years ago. There’s no such thing as a good album anymore, it’s all just a single. That’s one thing I love about my vinyl records. Now, when I listen to a record, I listen to an A side and a B side. And I feel like “Appalachian Reaction” is very A side, B side. The A side is the stuff we just put out, and the B side is the “Pepperoni Pizza” EP.”

While the new record may have two sides, Krofcheck said he likes the fact that Fletcher’s Grove can take on any number of genres.

“We would like to get to the point where we can play on it a little bit harder, to get to the point where we can do these full-on electronic shows, and then, the next night, do a traditional acoustic, bluegrass show. We’re definitely a genre-hopping band, and that’s something I want to continue to play on.”

He said the band takes their genre-hopping mix of funk, rock, jazz, bluegrass and folk seriously, and the guys work hard at their craft.

“We feel great. We’ve put a lot of hard work into the new CD. The first two years, we put out [“All the Way Home”] and we played that like crazy. And it’s great that those songs now are like, the classic songs. We only play one or two of those a night now. And whenever we do, everyone knows all the words, and everyone sings along. It’s great.”

That connection is amplified when playing in front of thousands of people at any of the big summer festivals the band has played over the past few years.

“I definitely think we’re a festival band,” Krofcheck admitted. “Our intentions with Fletcher’s Grove was to be a festival band. Around the same time we were forming into what we are now, we were all coming back from our first festivals.

“I was 15 when I went to my first Bonnaroo. And when I came back and realized there are hundreds of thousands of people just like me, who want to listen to music, who want to camp, and want to have a really good time. You don’t really see that all the time in Hurricane, especially when you’re in middle school or high school. You’re like, ‘Man, this sucks. I should’ve been born 40 years ago and went to Woodstock.’”

Krofcheck and the band had their own version of Woodstock a few years back at All Good, which saw their hard work pay off.

“Our goal originally, for like four years, was to be on All Good, especially since it was a West Virginia festival. We thought if we worked hard enough it would eventually happen, and it did. We got to hang out backstage with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, and there’s Les Claypool walking around, just unreal stuff.

“We’re very blessed to have the festival scene, to have all the different styles, which makes up our own music; the bluegrass, funk, jazz, the jamming and the rock. It’s a big melting pot of genres, and that allows us to play all the genres without too much criticism.”

It doesn’t seem like too many fans are complaining about Fletcher’s Grove these days. That some 20-somethings are able to capture and channel a vibe from a seemingly bygone era, and share it with fans young and old, makes it all the more sweet for Krofcheck.

“A lot of those people thought that atmosphere was dead, that it only existed in the 60’s and 70’s. We have fans who drive for hours and travel out of their way to come see us and stay for a whole weekend. That’s what everybody goes there for.”



IF YOU GO:
Fletcher’s Grove w/InFormation
WHERE: The V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington (304) 781-0680
WHEN: 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2
COST: $10 (incl. copy of Appalachian Reaction)
INFO: www.vclublive.com

CD Review: "Appalachian Reaction"

CD: Appalachian Reaction

ARTIST: Fletcher’s Grove



Here at rockscene we have a healthy affection for jam bands and festivals. Not an unhealthy obsession, like our hatred of Charleston Daily Mail editorials, but a real soft spot exists for the vibes and seemingly enhanced connectivity between the fans and bands.

Morgantown jam band Fletcher’s Grove, a staple on said festival circuit, on its 10-song sophomore full-length Appalachian Reaction, presents a nice genre-hopping example of why we, and so many others, dig these kinda bands.

The album, the follow-up to 2009’s All the Way Home, and described by singer and rhythm guitarist Ryan Krofcheck in a recent interview with The Huntington Herald-Dispatch as “A.D.H.D.” and “…very ‘A’ side ‘B’ side,” is indeed a veritable smorgasbord of genres; from funk to folk, jazz, rock, and maybe a hint of bluegrass, the band (Krofcheck, Matt Marion, Wes Hager, Taylor Pratt, and Evan Lintz) unveils five new grooves in addition to hosting last summer’s Pepperoni Pizza EP on the second half of the record.

By this point you may be asking yourself ‘Could that be the biggest run-on sentence ever?’ And, ‘How does WVRockscene know what someone said in a phone interview with a newspaper, for an article that hasn’t ran yet? Are they friends with Piers Morgan or something?’

Yes to the former, and no to the latter.

Standout tracks, for us, include the ode to the Appalachian coal miner, “Faces of the Mine,” the soulful jam “Grapevine,” and “Pepperoni Pizza,” which has lead guitarist Hager absolutely shredding; FYI, he’s a badass. Throughout the record the talent and musicianship of each member is on display. Kudos to Tommy Bailey at Bebop Studios for capturing the rich sonic range of the band.

But it’s no wonder that so many people seem to love these guys. Whether it’s at their home away from home at 123 Pleasant Street, any number of festivals, or, The V Club Saturday, Fletcher’s Grove is definitely a trip.


--- Fletcher’s Grove plays The V Club in Huntington Saturday with InFormation. $10 cover gets you a copy of Appalachian Reaction.

Sunday Afternoon Jamz: Fletcher's Grove

Getting set to interview Ryan Krofcheck of Fletcher’s Grove in a few minutes for the H-D, listening to their new record, Appalachian Reaction, and thought we’d share some clips. Check out a live performance of “Grapevine” off the new record, and the promo for the new album.

The Morgantown-based jam band is playing all over, as they are wont to do, now with the new 10-song release in tow. Be lookin for coverage and look for 'em at your favorite establishment soon.

VIDEO: Mega Beardo “Ledjent of Zelda” studio update

Hardcore gamer and awesome guitarist Ryan Postlethwait (aka Mega Beardo) plays his Nintendo guitar, likely working out material for his forthcoming Ledjent of Zelda EP…

Covering bands in newspapers, you gotta keep things objective -- you can’t (and don’t want to) go on and on about how much you love such and such act or project or how great you think they are.

You’re supposed to at least act professional.

A newspaper isn’t a fanzine, and its target audience awww yeah isn’t gonna be anxiously awaiting the new Mega Beardo EP The Ledjent of Zelda -- just announced by Ryan Postlethwait (pictured above) in his latest and last studio update to be coming out in March!

Getting to talk to Postlethwait on the phone and cover Mega Beardo in the Gazette was a personal highlight of 2012. Maybe you missed that, or have yet to wake up to the hardcore truth that this guy reworking old Nintendo game music into brutal metal is one of the most awesome, innovative musical projects in West Virginia in 2013.

Ryan just welcomed Byzantine singer-guitarist Chris Ojeda up to his most awesome game lair to work on some video playthroughs of new Byzantine stuff. That’s exciting to just hear about those two dudes hangin. And judging by the comments on Postlethwait’s Facebook page, there may even be a Beardo full band coming soon.

Either way, we’re Mega Beardo’s number one fan ever, and we do look forward to hearing his Zelda EP. Get caught up on everything on his latest YouTube updates.

Confirmed: WVRockscene to establish "red list" of its own

It was brought to our attention that WVRockscene recently turned five years old or something. Cool! Right?

But before that first post in Jan. 2008, before thegazz.com’s ill-fated, ultimately doomed local music blog, an endeavor that would ultimately never be made up for by its founder, there was us rockin’ out freaky, weird obscure acts that people may not be keen to. Or, bands or projects that rock, but might not be playing out or releasing material, whatever.

Whatever platform or medium (print/online) was utilized, we’re proud of covering so many of these kinds of non-traditional bands or performers over the years.

We’re going to continue that in 2013, that’s for sure.*

We’re compiling a list, a handful of maybe obscure acts or dudes or projects that are awesome in nature to cover, we’re going to write it down on a piece of paper and then ball it up and throw it in the trash.

Because we already know pretty much what and who we wanna cover, it’s just a matter of when. It’s great thinking that there could be someone or some band around here recording something ghetto-style that could turn into a song we love.

Time goes by fast, but we here at rockscene don’t change. Or wait, is it the more things change the more they stay the same?

Either way, barring injury or Virginarockscene hitting us hard with denial of service attacks, we’re gonna keep covering bands we like and hopefully up the awesomeness around here.





* = not a guarantee

CD Review: Revelator

ARTIST: The Heptanes
CD: Revelator


Existing on a plane somewhere between The Cramps and The Stray Cats with a nod to West Virginia’s own Hasil Adkins, Huntington-based rockabilly trio The Heptanes return to release-ville in 2013 with their killer 13-song sophomore effort, Revelator.

Hard rockin’, rump shakin’ rockabilly (“Let The Liquor Do The Thinking,” “Rusthouse”) and/or psychobilly (“Hasil Adkins”) tracks show that these cats -- Kevin Allison, Chris Tackett, and Alex Kendall -- coming off a long period of dormancy, playing a few shows, then going in to record, just like riding a bike, didn’t take too long to get back into the swing of things.

Substitute “bike” with “devil-possessed hot rod” (hear “Pure White Lining” and “Rat Rod Ride”) and you’re close, maybe. And subtract the years off.

Either way, songs like “Amazon Roller Derby Queen” and “Sinner’s Shake,” which open things up, may indeed possess you to do awesome rock and roll related things, you can fill in the blanks.

“Dark Skies” stands out for its dark, sullen beauty, and the title track is a driving instrumental.

To get “The ultimate in transistorized stereophonic hi-fidelity sound” (as it says on the cover) Allison, Tackett and Kendall went into Trackside Studios, and with help from Bud Carroll, did just that.

This isn’t the place to get into how so many rock and roll rivers flow from rockabilly music. But if you’re into it, and like it with a dash of danger, The Heptanes may be for you. A great effort, a long time coming from these dudes.

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

VIDEO: Byzantine “Soul Eraser”

Byzantine, if you have been living in a cave on the moon for the past five years, is back with a new self-titled album due out Feb. 26.

The critically acclaimed West Virginia metal band has been playing shows, taking pre-orders, and just last night premiered their video for “Soul Eraser,” off the new record on nocleansinging.com.

Shot and directed by Matt Maloney in his hometown of Wellsburg, the video gave Byzantine’s fans a chance to get crazy, and gave the band an opportunity to paint an unfortunately all-too-familiar picture of life in 2013 opium war-ravaged West Virginia (NSFW drug abuse) as those we know fall prey to the “black tar lord” singer-guitarist Chris Ojeda describes.

Just an awesome video from an awesome band. We’ll definitely look forward to hearing the new record.

Lookin' forward to 2013 with BRR

We’re getting back into the swing of things here in 2013, as are our friends at Big River Records in Fayetteville. We understand Ben Coll has moved to Charleston recently, and Brad Kinder is under constant surveillance by us on Facebook for his hilarious and/or threatening posts, also for his super coo nature pics. 

Kinder recently did a little winter cleaning at the BRR studio, and now all of us can bask in the opulence, vicariously, through this above pic. We’ll be keeping tabs on these dudes as they work on Bastard Sons of Appalachia with Justin Steele et al., and jam whatever records in the studio.

Check out the bands they’ve already worked with, and check out Kinder’s photography page, WV Awesomeness, as he captures the natural beauty of our state. Here’s to an awesome 2013!

Top 10 CDs of 2012

10. The Renfields: All the Stuff and GORE

Not only do fans of Team Transylvania’s horror movie-inspired pogo-punk stylings get pretty much every song recorded in this two-disc box set spectacular, there’s enough unreleased material to get this in the top 10.

Songs like “Renfields Go!” “Transylvania Fight Song,” “Ramones Zombie Massacre,” and “Porkchop” will be new favorites. If you’ve lost a copy of The Night THEY Came Home, Bastard Sons of Ed Wood, or the Stalk and Slash Splatterama series, that’s all here.

So, if you’re looking for that special something for that hard-to-buy-for Renfields fan this holiday season, All the Stuff and GORE makes the perfect stocking stuffer. The Renfields may be number ten on this list, but they’re number one in our heart.






9. Sly Roosevelt: Animal Tracks

If you fell asleep eating animal crackers watching Matt Taibbi on Bill Moyers, half reading a book on Teddy Roosevelt, and dreamt of a high energy post punk concept record, Animal Tracks may be that record.

The full-length debut from this Huntington-based indie rock outfit may not be some linear journey concept record, but the songs, (e.g. “Lion,” “Wolf,”) lyrics and CD art (awesomely done by Jarrod Schneider) all tie Animal Tracks into a really good record with a vision.









8. GoodWolf: Shitty Kids

Sleepwalker singer-guitarist Tyler Grady steps out to record more stuff on this largely solo, mostly melancholy, eight-song post-grunge release.

“Last Year” was the feel good, slacker hit of the summer. “Bikini Girl” and the highly charged, intensely personal middle finger to an ex, “Letter,” stand out. Not sure who the kids are, but whatever the motivation it’s promising to see Grady operating as GoodWolf.

Goodwolf – Last Year from Geoff Hoskinson on Vimeo.

7. John Lancaster: Crash Test in Progress

Following up on 2010’s Phantom Moon, Lancaster continues charting new sonic territory, this time with his live band. “Saigon Moment” channels Lancaster’s inner Dave Grohl. His soulful vocals on the bluesy parts of “Like Castles” actually sound like Huntington’s own Bud Carroll, the song standing out among his solo material for taking this kind of direction.

Most of the material, though, like “The Riot Act,” and “Catacomb Satellite” tie back into or at least jump off from what’s heard on the solo debut, making the six songs found on Crash Test In Progress feel like some sort of expansion pack for the CD. Great material, even for a seasoned, polished hard rock work in progress.






6. Bud Carroll: At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car

While you’d be right to imagine the guitar hero and multi-instrumental talent Carroll could knock out a few crunchy grooves in his Trackside Studios in a few hours, this release finds him standing astride his bluesy Southern Souls days (“I’m No Stranger”) now into AC30, still singing soulful songs about his nowhere towns and lost loves.

Standout songs include “There Someday,” “I Just Wanted You To Know,” and “We’ll Be Together Again.” Carroll released this (not surprisingly) stellar 12-song effort in January, and it’s stood out since.







5. Bishops (self-titled)

Would you believe that if Demon Beat bassist Tucker Riggleman recruited cohort Adam Meisterhans to shred in his nascent garage rock band with Paul Cogle (Nagato/Vox Populi) that the result would be killer?

Riggleman’s own singing and songwriting efforts pre-date his involvement in The Demon Beat and Prison Book Club, and hearing songs like the opener, “My Own Way,” “Happy,” and “Shit Happens” will likely excite fans of both groups.

How many Demon Beat side projects can there be? Never enough! Talented dudes, each, and it’s Riggleman’s chance to stand out here.








4. Spirit Night: One Man Houses

Shepherdstown native Dylan Balliett releases a killer, amped-up sophomore full-length and promptly gets dropped off in NYC by The Demon Beat dudes and sets up residence. Maybe he moved up there, then released it right after. Whatever.

Following up on 2010’s What We Will Be and the Normal EP, Balliett, again joined by drummer Pete Wilmoth (FOX Japan) and Ryan Hizer (Librarians/Good Sport) on bass mostly shed their dreamy lo-fi atmospherics for something approaching high energy 80’s post punk on this nine-song effort.

“Goodbye Jones” and “Summer Clothes” are standout tracks, but it’s Balliett’s version of “Rubberneck” that might take WVRockscene best song of 2012, if there were such an ill-conceived thing. Hopefully there’s more Spirit Night to come out of NYC in 2013.

3. The Tom McGees: This Just In

You’ll be fallin’ out, spinning and kicking, and raising your fists to the high-energy, hilarious, totally NSFW ska stylings of this Charleston-based eight-piece “punk party” band.

You’ll come for the driving punk rock, the alternately blaring and swooning horn section, and machine gun snare rolls. You’ll stay for the endearing, jilted love songs Mike Withrow and Adam Dittebrand are singing. Never has cussing out your ex-girlfriend, or, then, telling her you really love her, seemed so fun. Hear “The Choice” and “Half That Bad” for that. Just a killer nine-song debut from these characters.






2. Juna: Sing

Like the mountains that surround us, John Morgan’s Appalachian folk symphony manifested as Juna seems at once imposing, maybe these days, cold, but unfolds itself to reveal a warm, stunning, sonic beauty.

That he’s able to create and record the richly arranged songs like “Even” and “Banner” all by himself, makes this 10-song effort all the more impressive.

Fans may expect this kind of sound as Morgan follows up on last year’s release, Hunt. It’s so much more, though, as Morgan provides a snapshot into his own life, the forces that pull, and the ties that bind him, and some of us, here in West Virginia.







1. The Demon Beat: Less Is Less

Like the cover itself, with Adam Meisterhans, Tucker Riggleman and Jordan Hudkins blended together to form one super-rocker, everything just seems to come together on this, the fourth full-length studio effort from these Shepherdstown-based dudes. Ironically, maybe, given the title of the record, fans of the band could be said to receive more than they expected, even out of these guys.

The amalgamated rocker on the cover sports a flannel maybe as a nod to the fat, fuzzy, feedback-flecked grunge, almost stoner rock sound found on songs like “Bummer Machine,” “Fingers,” and “Bored Forever.” “Teenage Wasteland” and “Wunderwal” rock hard. “Song 2 Part 2” and “I Melted” are more melodic, some might say pretty, rock songs.

Space jams “Off The Wall” and “The Wall” close out the record impressively and more experimentally, as these guys are wont to do. Like the diamonds they sometimes adorn their album art with or get tattooed on their arms, the material on Less Is Less, instead of some huge departure from their previous material, just shines a little differently, reflecting a slightly different angle.

"Skabout" -- The Tom McGees Fight For Their Right to Move Forward in 2013

Photo: Greg McGowan

The Tom McGees (L-R: Bill Hairston, Chris Woodall, Ross Anderson, Michael Withrow, David Scarpelli, Adam Dittebrand, Bob Chapman, John Skaggs, Christopher Itson) get into the Christmas spirit by giving away a few of their favorite covers, and look forward to recording and touring in the new year with bigger guitars, and less tom.


Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Nobody is breaking any news by stating that ska, specifically, and punk rock in general, is, for some, kind of fun to listen to. And if you asked the guys in The Tom McGees, they’d probably tell you 2012 was equal parts hard work and fun. Maybe more fun.

The Charleston ska band, formed in 2011, hugely influenced by their friends and progenitors in 69 Fingers, released its debut full-length, This Just In, this summer, and enjoyed a show-per-day, two-week tour of the southeast U.S. in October.

The Tom McGees perform at the V Club Friday with Farnsworth and Mad Anthony, and will play The Empty Glass’ Christmas night party with their friends in Dinosaur Burps.

A few members of the eight-piece unit gathered at the McGees’ rehearsal spot down the hall from Charleston’s Cerberus Studios to talk about 2012 and their resolution to rock harder, with a bigger sound, and a smaller name, in 2013.

Born out of the nucleus of longtime friends, singer-guitarist Michael Withrow, and singer Adam Dittebrand, Dittebrand said his collaboration with Withrow is years in the making and almost a likely outgrowth from 69 Fingers.

“I remember Mike -- I was in high school when Mike was in junior high -- he would come to all the 69 Fingers shows, know all the words, and be right up front,” Dittebrand recalled. “We always talked about playing music together, even back then.”

“We’ve known each other since we were little,” Withrow added, casually patrolling the room with Banks, his six-month old chocolate lab and honorary McGee. “Adam, [drummer] Ross [Anderson] and I went to elementary school together.” Each of them at one point were in 69 Fingers.

“And eventually [Withrow] ended up a member of 69 Fingers, too,” Dittebrand said, continuing. “But I hadn’t played music for a long time, and we started playing acoustic shows together, just playing some of the old stuff, and covers we know.

“It was so much fun, we were like ‘Well, we know more people that play music, let’s form a real band.’ And we took some of those songs we’d written and turned them into the ska songs we play now.”



Anderson, who helped his cousin Withrow found the Charleston punk band The Concept, said the McGees are all about fun, friends and rocking out.

“It’s really good, it just works out,” the drummer said. “We have a ton of chemistry, and we all get along really well. It’s like you’re not just playing music with anybody, you’re playing music with your best friends.”

The band’s tour of the southeast back in October was super fun, they said, giving the guys a chance to frolic on the beach and make new fans.

“We played in Brunswick, Georgia, just above Jacksonville, and we’d never played there. There were a ton of people there to see us,” Withrow said. “They had us come back like a month later, and there were a bunch of people there. It’s cool when so many people in other places are that excited to see you.”

“It’s cool to see the reactions, too, from the new fans,” Dittebrand said. “And these are people who never heard your music, or are hearing it for the first time.”

Dittebrand described one instance of the McGees getting love down south.

“When we went back to Brunswick, one of the places we played on the tour, they had us come back and they put us up in a condo, and we were able to take our girlfriends and wives with us. It was awesome; we had a nice big suite.”

“It’s neat to go back to some of these places,” recently recruited bassist Bob Chapman said. “There’s almost like an extended family in some of these places where they look forward to seeing you.”

Withrow said the band made money, sold a lot of merch and saw some sights. Some sights were hilarious, like the drunk guy open mic fail in Marietta, Georgia, some were less funny.

“We played a show in Charlotte, just a huge crowd; a big punk rock show,” Withrow said. “After it was over, there was this huge riot, and this fight in the parking lot where we were loading up.”

“It was kind of like Juggalos, if you’ve ever seen them,” new trombone guy John Skaggs added, describing those involved.

“Yeah, it was crazy,” Withrow added as if in awe of the sight. “Some girl got knocked out by a dude. But every show was great. I would say out of all the tours I’ve done, it was the best structured, we had the best responses, the best shows, we met all kinds of people and had a blast.”

For the holidays, keeping in their tradition of having fun playing covers, the McGees are releasing a few of their favorites, “Walking on Sunshine” and “Country Roads,” as a gift to their fans.

“We played ‘Walking On Sunshine’ a long time ago in 69 Fingers,” Anderson said with a smile. “And we played ‘Country Roads’ in The Concept,” Withrow added, “but we took it and re-wrote it, and made it our version.”

The band has been writing a new EP and will record that soon. Withrow described the direction the band hopes to take with the new material.

“A lot of the new stuff that I’m writing, we want to use two guitarists, to thicken everything up, so I can do a lot of lead work and just make the songs a little better,” he said. “We’re going to try to be going for a different sound.”

With plans to record with friend Greg McGowan of Charleston’s Time & Distance, Withrow said as the band moves forward he and the other guys are taking the McGees a little more seriously than at first. 

“We actually have been approaching it way more seriously. Now, this is what we do,” he said with an almost defiant emphasis. Effective January 1, they’ll just be The McGees, dropping any reference to any specific, maybe awesome, former television news anchor.

For Dittebrand, sharing the fun of their music with friends, fans, and family members young and old, is what it’s all about for him.

“My wife is super supportive of me, and my efforts. The kids are into the band, too. Sometimes they put their fingers in their ears if it’s too loud,” he said laughing hard. “It’s just been amazing to see how far we’ve come from where we were,” he added.

Now, kids just might be down in front at a McGees show, singing along with Withrow and Dittebrand and the rest of the guys.

“There was actually this kid at one show, his mom and dad had brought him, and they loved it,” Withrow said, recalling maybe his favorite moment of the tour.

“So, they got a new dog, and they named the dog McGee.”


IF YOU GO
The Tom McGees w/Farnsworth, Mad Anthony
WHEN: 10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 21
WHERE: The V Club, 741 6th Ave. (304) 781-0680 COST: $5
INFO: www.vclublive.com

Q&A w/WMUL's Anastasia Artayet & Brittany Barnes for Cutting Edge Fest

WMUL’s Anastasia Artayet (left) and Brittany Barnes (right) get pumped for tonight’s second annual WMUL Cutting Edge Fest at The V Club in Huntington. They’ll be joined by Deadbeats & Barkers, Coyotes in Boxes, Blue Ring, and mycity.. That’s not an unfinished ellipsis, they have a period at the end of the name, and we decided to end our sentence there.

A silent art auction, with work from MU alum Keelan Shepherd and faculty member Ian Hagarty will be held, with proceeds going to Little Victories no-kill shelter, of which we are a fan, so throw a buncha money at that. Cover charge/donations go to Cabell-Huntington-Wayne animal shelter. AND, you can adopt an animal friend on site tonight!

Deadbeats & Barkers frontman James Barker said that The V Club helping the shelters is awesome, and he and the other musicians performing are here to help.

“The Guthrie’s have always been good about jumping on board something like this when they can see enough local interest,” Barker said. “Local musicians and artists are happy to donate time or work to something like this -- even in a time where they are asked to work for free on almost a daily basis.

“This cause is personal for me seeing as I am an owner of two dogs from the shelter and have always been an advocate of people adopting from shelters.”

We caught up with Artayet and Barnes to learn more about the fest...


WVRockscene: This is the second annual WMUL Cutting Edge Fest right? Were you involved with last year’s show? How did that go and is this one going to be bigger/better this time around?

Brittany Barnes: Yes, this is the second Cutting Edge Fest, and I was involved with it last year as well. It was started by the music director at the time, Jessi Sisson. We created it with hopes of getting our name out to people in the community. We have a wonderful asset for anyone that loves or plays music. You don’t have to be a student to DJ and you get to decide who and what to play. We encourage all music, especially music straight from W.Va.

Last year we wanted to incorporate that and give students something fun to do during dead week, right before finals and the end of semester. The first Cutting Edge Fest in 2011 went phenomenally well. We kept it simple; six bands played at Shamrocks (RIP) and attendance was over 150. This year we are having five bands, a silent art auction, pet adoption, and we’re giving the proceeds to two animal shelters.

Anastasia Artayet: I was involved with the Spring 2012 Cutting Edge Fest at Shoop’s with Sasha Colette, Coyotes in Boxes, and Sly Roosevelt -- this Fall 2012 show is definitely going to be bigger than the Spring 2012 Festival. We have Deadbeats and Barkers, Coyotes in Boxes, Blue Ring, mycity., and Jordan Andrew Jefferson playing this year, as well as a silent art auction featuring Keelan Shepherd and Ian Hagarty. (ed. note: JAJ pulled out due to illness)

What’s really exciting is that the shindig is benefiting the Huntington-Cabell-Wayne Animal Shelter and Little Victories; you can even adopt on-site at our event starting at 8:45pm!

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rockscene: For those unfamiliar with who you are how far along are you two at Marshall? So.? Jr.? Major?

Barnes: I am a super senior (3rd semester) Radio/TV production and management major at MU. I’ve worked at WMUL previously as a DJ and Training Coordinator, and I was involved with Up Late, Marshall’s late night talk show.

Artayet: I am a rising Senior Spanish major in the College of Liberal Arts. I am the founding member of Sound Exchange Society and the WMUL DJ that covers local music. This is my third semester working with the station.

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rockscene: And Anastasia you’re involved with covering area bands with Sound Exchange right? I’d seen Ian Thornton mentioning you on Facebook, telling bands to holler at you to play their music. What do you do with Sound Exchange and what is the relative importance from your perspective like you say on the Facebook page, about putting MU students in touch with these area bands? Who are some of your fave area acts?

Artayet: Sound Exchange Society was an idea that began back in 2010 that hasn’t fully blossomed yet; as of right now, I’m the only member of the society! haha I plan to put the plans in effect starting December 20th in order to get the society up and running for my senior year -- I think it is detrimental for Marshall Student Artists and Musicians, as well as Huntington Artists and Musicians, to have an outlet and established circle of communication to get their work and inspiration viewed by the community. With the art walks every first Thursday in Huntington and the Old Main Corridor project, as well as the numerous local venues for live music, I believe we can make Sound Exchange Society a legacy for getting students involved with our neighbors and bring our neighbors to campus, too. How stellar would it be to have live bands and an art walk overspill from 4th Avenue to Buskirk Field and the Memorial Student Center Plaza? We have the inspiration - let’s make it happen!

The closest I have gotten to this (so far) is the Fall Festival I hosted with Housing and Residence Life’s Commons Hall Council in the Fall 2011, where we had the bands set up in the Ed Grose room of Harless Cafeteria - with local donations from area businesses and the support of campus officials, over 200 students attended! Mind you, this was planned by a friend, Katie Cundiff, and I in a mere 72 hours - imagine what could be done for the area with the right network and amount of planning! As far as local acts, I have profound respect for Sly Roosevelt and AC30; Sly Roosevelt is the reason I joined the scene and AC30’s Ian Thornton is my “pusher” and go-to-guy when the bands are dubious about my intentions, and I seriously love listening to their music when I need a break from the daily grind.

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rockscene: What were some of your first awesome experiences seeing a band at say the V Club or just your first experiences being immersed covering local bands?

Barnes: I’m from Hurricane, about 30-40 minutes from downtown Huntington. I used to go to shows at HYAMP before they closed, and that really influenced my interest in local music. Honestly, I can’t remember my first time seeing a band at the V Club, (which may not say much for my moral fiber) but I’ve been quite a few times since. They have done a killer job bringing music to the area.

Artayet: Coming from Moorefield to Huntington (almost 300 miles North-East of Huntington) was mind-blowing musically, to say the least -- seriously, growing up I knew the mainstream crap they played on the airwaves hundreds of miles away, like Backstreet Boys and N-Sync, etc. My first concert was O-Town (I didn't get out much as a child). We didn’t have media outlets where I grew up (other than country stations). I didn't discover The Black Keys, Apples in Stereo, Wilco, and such until I met Sly Roosevelt. Can you imagine!?

So when I first went to the V Club and started networking with local bands, it was like a kid in the candy store; I wanted to attend all the events! It’s so hard to pick and choose what I attend due to my schedule. When I started to DJ with my friend Jerry Smith in the mornings from 6 to 9 in the Fall of 2011, I realized how much I really missed the music scene. My wake-up call was when I was searching through the server for music to play, and I discovered there wasn't a lot of local music on the server and I knew it was meant to be. So in the Spring of 2012, I started contacting people and gathering what I could for the station, and it's been a never-ending beautiful process.

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rockscene: Whose idea was it to have Cutting Edge Fest benefit these area shelters?

Artayet: Lauren Ware of the V-Club and Black Sheep Burritos and Brews gave us the idea to make the festival a benefit for the shelters; WMUL approached the V-Club for the festival location and they asked if we wanted to team up for the shelter and we didn't have a doubt about saying yes. The animal shelters need this so badly! If our community would come together for not only this event, but the shelters in future support, we could save the health and lives of our fuzzy friends.

I’m going to get on my Bob Barker soapbox here and remind people to spay and neuter their pets.

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rockscene: Just talking with the band members and people at the V Club and people in general, what has the response been like to the show and its charitable function helping animals?

Barnes: The response has been extremely positive. My parents even said they want to come, haha.

Artayet: Everyone is SO excited about this event; there isn’t words to properly describe the response we have gotten; if you really want to know, you are going to have to come experience it yourself!

The Perfect Chaos by Keelan Shepherd

----- rockscene: You’re also involved with showcasing art at the show Saturday, having a silent auction? How is that coming along?

Artayet: We are indeed having an art auction; as my first auction that I’m hosting, we are keeping it quaint for this round -- Keelan Shepherd and Ian Hagarty are confirmed, and ALL other artists are invited to show up the day of!

They can contact me at artayet@live.marshall.edu for more information about the event.

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rockscene: Any plans for WMUL or Sound Exchange to be involved in the community like this next year or just plans to do stuff like this in the future?

Barnes: Absolutely. We had a show last spring Anastasia was also involved in, and we want to continue with this. Even though I won’t be the director, I expect you will see a show this spring and 3rd Annual Cutting Edge Fest in December 2013.

Artayet: Sound Exchange Society is planning a much larger event for campus and the community -- I may even begin monthly shows. I recommend following our page on Facebook to stay in the know about upcoming shenanigans, partnerships, shows, and joining the Society to make the connection between campus and the community a reality. I need all the inspiration and manpower people can muster.

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rockscene: So many people love their pets, how cool is it to be able to involve WMUL with these bands for such a great cause?

Barnes: It has been really great. Everyone that’s been involved with planning this show has been incredible. I cannot wait to hear great music, see the local art, and of course adorable animals. What can be better than that?

Artayet: This has been an amazing opportunity and we look forward to doing more benefits like this with the community in the near future!


--- The V Club will accept these donated items in lieu of the $10 cover charge:


*dog food
*cat litter
*bleach
*laundry detergent
*dog leashes
*dog collars
*blankets
*towels

Cover charge and donations will go towards the C-H-W Animal Shelter and money raised from the art auction will go to Little Victories. Please support this most noble cause. Thanks all around to Lauren Ware/The V Club, WMUL (Artayet & Barnes specifically) and the bands performing and the people who care!

Justin Johnson continues Embracing The Eyesore

Longtime readers and/or browsers of WVRockscene will of course remember fondly Justin Johnson's 1318 4th Ave. series from a few years ago. Focusing on the 90's Gumby's/Drop Shop days and the bands that came through, Johnson diligently documented those days, a delight for anyone who was there at some point.

Well, Justin just launched his own blog dedicated to "Embracing The Eyesore" and it's definitely something you should get keen to.

Johnson has been catching readers up on the beginning of Gumby's in 1990 and the bands and has been tying things up catching people up on Chum members John Lancaster and Chris Tackett. It was so great to have him doing "1318" for rockscene and we're stoked to see him kick this thing off.

It's even more fitting that Johnson does this now: Herald-Dispatch reporter and friend of those days Bryan Chambers tweeted recently he's working on a story for this weekend about a construction project that will see the building demolished. (correction: 'twas another eyesore Chambers meant! whew! confirm information!)

VIDEO: J Marinelli “Telephone Teeth” (via Shaker Steps)

The holidays got a little more awesome recently. The Lexington-based video production cats calling themselves Shaker Steps caught up with Morgantown native and WVRockscene hero J Marinelli for a few candid, we understand cold, acoustic renditions of some of our fave songs.

Check out “Telephone Teeth” here, which we obviously stole from the Shaker Steps people to share, and check out Marinelli’s version of “Pomade Years” on the Shaker Steps YouTube page. Kudos to Shaker Steps!

And in other exciting Marinelli news, he’s just re-released Keep It Fake, maybe our favorite record of his (it’s close with PSS) AND, he was interviewed extensively by American Gloam. Marinelli questions you think you’d never get a chance to ask him are in there!