Live
Concert Review and Interview: Chevelle, Middle Class Rut and
Nothing
More
Chevelle
supporting their album, La Gargola
bringing with them Middle Class Rut and Nothing More to
The Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, Michigan on Monday April 21. Chevelle,
Middle Class Rut and Nothing
More drew in the crowd at The
Orbit Room. The line stretched throughout the parking lot braving
the of and on rain showers. The loyal rock fans found it was well
worth the wait and getting a little wet.
To
see a band live is the true test of how good they are. With the La
Gargola album
the hit “Take Out The Gunman” keeps you caught up and grabs you
and shakes you around by your ears. When you hear this song it make
you want more with the heavy chugs on the bass to the great vocals
and guitar. Then to top it off the thundering drums.
Can
a band do a live show and make you forget about the everyday worries
in life? You get caught up in the music and the moment and
everything else can just be put on hold. That is the key to great
music and live shows is having bands that can perform live great.
Chevelle
formed
in 1995 with their first album, The
Blue Album and
Point
#1 that
captured peoples attention. The the amazing rock trio was founded by
Pete Loffler (lead guitar and vocals), Sam Loffler on (drums and
percussion) and Joe Loffler on (bass and backup vocals). Joe Loffler
in 2005 left the band, Geno Lenardo subbed-in until he was replaced
by Dean Bernardini the current (bass and backup vocals).
Since
the forming of Chevelle
has
had many great albums Wonder
What's Next, This Type Of Thinking (Could Do In), Vena Sera, Sci-Fi
Crimes, Hats Off To The Bull, Stray Arrows and
now La
Gargola
album. In the Wonder
What's Next album
the song “Send The Pain Below” really caught my attention out of
everything playing on the radio at that time. The first thing I
could think of is that Chevelle
was going to be one of my favorite bands and hoped they would keep
creating great music.
The
band kept creating great music with every album. After covering
Chevelle
at
the 2012 Hats
Off To The Bull tour
at Rock
The Rapids in
Grand Rapids, Michigan I knew they would keep making amazing, great
quality rock and roll. The song “ Face To The Floor” grabs you
by the ears and shakes you around and does not let go.
Can
a band do a live show and make you forget about the everyday worries
in life? You get caught up in the music and the moment and
everything else can just be put on hold. That is the key to great
music and live shows is having bands that can perform live great.
Middle Class Rut
was the second band on stage.
This amazing duo grabbed the crowd attention and kept it. One thing
you would think of is how hard it is to have only two people play in
a band and sound so good. But they pulled it off at The Orbit Room
with a packed crowd enjoying their music.
Middle
Class Rut formed
in December of 2006 consisting of Zack Lopez on (vocals and guitar)
and Sean Stockham on (vocals and drums). After a few EP's the first
full album release was in 2010 titled No
Name No Color. Then
making it to the present album Pick
Up Your Head which
came out in 2013.
The
most memorable songs from Middle
Class Rut are
“All Walks Of Life”, “I Guess You Could Say”, “New Low”,
“Busy Being Born”, “Are You On Your Way”, “Aunt Betty”
and “Dead Eye”.
The song “New Low”
always captures my attention when it was played on the radio.
Nothing More
founded in 2003 consisting of
Jonny Hawkins (lead vocals and aux drums), Daniel Oliver (bass and
backup vocals), Mark Vollelunga (guitar and backup vocals) and Paul
Obrien on (drums). The first band in the line up has the task of
warming up the crowd to keep them going until the next band. Nothing
More took on an amazing task of
three of the band members playing one bass at the same time and
sounded great.
Another
great part of the show was when Johnny Hawkins and Paul Obrien played
dual drums on stage. Songs from Nothing More include
“This Is The Time”, “Salem”, “Bullets And Blue Eyes” and
“Fell In Love With A Ghost” caught my attention.
Interview with
Johnny Hawkins:
Jonny:
The House Of Blues in Chicago because it's kind legendary because
Jimmy Hendrix played there. And the Fillmore I have heard a lot
about, never been there never played there. I can't narrow it down
to one venue. Since we have touring with Chevelle there has not
been one bad venue.
Dan
and Andrew: What styles of music does your band like listening to
to relax?
Jonny:
Ahh there is some funny stuff you would never guess, some Harry
Belafonte. He's fun to have in the background while we are
cooking dinner. He has unique vocals no one else sounds like him.
When we are chilling we like more dreamy stuff like Radio Head
or Nick Drake from the 1960's just acoustic guitar
it's like you can really zone out to it and relax.
Dan
and Andrew: What music do you listen to going cruising?
Dan
and Andrew: When creating music what comes first the music or the
lyrics?
Jonny:
That is a good question, it happens both ways for us. In our new
album each song is written very differently. We did not have the
same process for each song.
A
lot of them had like random music parts and we started mixing and
matching. Our guitar player Mark and myself had a lot of random
things like riffs or like this ideas or lyrics. All of us come up
with like poetry and have a mix and match game. Sometimes the music
comes first and we feel the emotion behind what the music sounds
like. Some of the lyrics telling a story we can relate to.
Dan
and Andrew: What bands are you band's influences?
Jonny: We listen to a wide range of things because each person in the band is an individual. There is a band called Dredge that I was in to. It's an anbient kind of rock kind of dreamy. We listened to a lot of Rage Against The Machine we like the riffs and the attitude of the music. We also listen to a lot of Muse and a lot of Deftones too. Besides band influencing us I look outside of music I listen to philosophy recordings Allen Watts lectures from the 1940's to 1960's era. We take some of his recordings and mix it up with the music. I think it's nice to reach outside of music and make it music. You can totally different inspiration from reaching outside of music like make art into music.
Dan
and Andrew: Are there other family members that also do music??
Johnny: I think Daniel our bass player came from a musical family his dad is a really good guitar player. My mom was a painter and played a little piano that's the visual influences came from the art and make it into music. It's all about the same it comes from the core of yourself.
Dan
and Andrew: What do you do on tour besides play music?
Jonny: Honestly this tour has been so hectic that when we have a day off. We literally are doing laundry and cleaning. Watch a lot of television shows like Breaking Bad, Game Of Thrones, Dexter and Walking Dead.
Dan
and Andrew: Where did you think up the band title?
Jonny:
Early high school my guitar player Mark which two years older than
me. I remember sitting on his stairs at his house. We tried to
come up with a name it seemed like went through about 60 different
names. None of them worked I do not know how but at one point it
popped into my head Nothing More. The name was a reminder at
that young of an age that we saw in the future. No matter how much
success we have or how far we go with it that we always remember
that we are always nothing more. that we are just people that play
instruments and happen to be on stage. We happen to be in the spot
light in this moment but at the end of the day we are nothing more
than anyone else.
Dan
and Andrew: What big band took you on tour to become more well
known?
Jonny: We got a little of that kind of love from Sevendust. Chevelle has really been good to us. We did a date with Korn and we did some dates with Adrenaline Mob. But this is the main big tour.
Dan
and Andrew: Family and friends that support you?
Jonny:
Honestly we would not be able to do what we are doing without
family and friends supporting us. All the little things they do are
important keep in touch with us. Sometimes they will give us a warm
meal or some gift cards all those little things support you and show
they care.
Dan
and Andrew: What is your favorite song to play and why?
Jonny: I
think my favorite song to play is Salem. It's the big burn the witch
chant. The reason why for me is because the whole band gets on drums
and start this big cadence. I was a drummer since seven year old.
I've been a drummer longer than I have been singing so the drumming
is deep in my soul.
Nothing More
set-list:
This Is The Time
(ballast)
Christ Copyright
60 Second Affair
Bass solo
Mr. Mtv
Salem
All three bands were
amazing their own way unique and sounded great either of the band we
would be happy to see over and over again.
By Dan and Andrew Spratt 04-26-2014
By Dan and Andrew Spratt 04-26-2014
Tour dates:
Sources of
information:
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