Attitude CHECK! IB6-UB9 w/Eastman Band, August 6, 2011 @ Diablo’s (Eugene, Oregon)

It has been awhile since we saw IB6-UB9, when they were in the 2011 Last Band Standing competition, but we were definitely looking forward to seeing them again – their energy and talent is so amazing – and coupled with Eastman Band, this was a show not to miss!  It was also the first time we had a chance to hear a full set from the IB6 guys, and even tho we had just come off of a road trip to/from Eugene and Sea-Tac that started at 3:30am this morning, we just had to be there!

And what a different energy the club had tonight – there was a wedding reception just before the show started (Mr. and Mrs. Jones – how appropriate, right?!) and whatever the basement had going on was subdued and non-intrusive, so we were able to enjoy the absolute joie-de-vivre (oui, je parle en francais – en pue!) of both of these bands – we were ready to be rock-n-rolled!

IB6-UB9 (Shane Thornton-vocals; Tim Potter-guitar; Rod Meckle-bass; Shane Thomas-  drums)

                         

The folks in support of local live music had a full plate tonight, with the Whiteaker Block Party underway as well as the Boot Fest 4 at the WoW Hall, yet there were lots of folks in attendance at Diablo’s to see these guys and they put on a helluva show, I’m telling you!  As front man Shane Thornton says it best, “we are the sweatiest band in town!” – I doubt there has been any kind of measurement on that, but if there has been these guys would be front runners, no doubt!  They work their a$$es off for the audience in a no-holds-barred, free-for-all celebration of all that is seriously rock!

Working around and through the sound system challenges, Shane still delivers his vocals with a unique blend of brash brazen balls-to-the-walls fervor – there is nothing missing in his delivery, trust me.  Tim’s lead guitar riffs are hot and heavy and Shane does a pretty damned good job of running rhythm guitar as well.  Shane Thomas’ drums are solid walls of sound, with Rod’s bass pounding hard and smooth – makes you wanna get out on that floor and dance, which a lot of folks definitely did!  These guys are always so much fun to see, they are loud and with so much energy you can’t imagine it is only four guys creating this much music – they play to and with the audience which is an absolute pleasure.  They even pulled Ted Jones (from the recent wedding party) to cover Bon Jovi’s “Dead Or Alive,”  and their cover of Ozzy’s “I Don’t Know” was excellent – I think I may like Shane’s vocals better!

And let us not forget to mention the man himself, resplendent as always in black Stetson and boots, as he belted out “Papa Spank” like he knew something we wished we knew!  Rod’s bass riffs on that particular song just rip, with Tim’s lead guitar running rampant through the piece.  I’ll always love “On a Good Night” which was pulled from the Ex-Piracy archives and given the UB6 flourish.    I also loved their premier of “Upside The Wall” and “Say My Name” (which of course I’d heard at the LBS competition) are off their forthcoming album tentatively titled  “Devil Horns and Angel Wings,” and the dance floor was packed as they started their cover of  Ram Jam’s  “Black Betty.”  As they closed their set with “Death Rocker” I have to agree with Shane – this is definitely one of (if not THE) sweatiest bands in town.  If you haven’t seen these guys I feel so sorry for you…  Find these guys on the net, but catch them live if you dare… you won’t ever be the same!

  (old video but still fun!)

Eastman Band (John Eastman – vocals, guitar; Jimmy  Cuelar – bass, vocals; Terry Brewer – drums)

              

I won’t give you a huge write up on this band, I’ve covered them before (and before that) – but the fact that we keep coming out to see these guys live any chance we get should tell you something….  and while we were hoping to catch their newest premier single “Caged” (which they didn’t play, unfortunately), we were still awestruck as always by these guys… and it was so cool that Shane Thornton stuck around to catch the first part of the set, rocking out to “Facebook Friend” with the rest of the audience as he tipped his hat (too fun!) stage center – folks were on the floor dancing and grooving of course!  What can I say about these guys that I haven’t already said before – they sound so much bigger than just the three individual members here, John’s guitars were bright and focused, with Terry solid as always on drums and Jim’s bass an amazing foundation – I love this band and will continue to follow them as they expand and become even more themselves!

          It was so cool that they did a second set featuring John on 12-string guitar, opening with “Smile” (at photographer Jeanice’s request primarily), followed by the premier of “When We Were Alright” and “Don’t  Say No” – more awesome material from an awesome band – you definitely want to put them on your calendar when they play live again!

The Club Circuit hits Goodfellas for Eastman Band, July 8, 2011

Friday night found TCC (minus photographer Jeanice Marvel, who wasn’t feeling well) in Springfield for our first visit to Goodfellas.  You know we’ve done several columns on the Eastman Band, this amazing Springfield band, and I was fully prepared to simply sit and enjoy the show, but with this first opportunity to see the band playing without sharing the bill, we got three full sets of amazing music, including several covers and a lot of material they’ve had shelved since the Last Band Standing.  This was a special night for them as well, celebrating their fans that made them the winners of LBS, it was also founder John Eastman’s daughter Nicole’s birthday party – so it was a pretty wild night!

(pictures from previous Goodfellas show, 08/24/10)

   

Their covers of U2′s “New Year’s Day” and Coldplay’s “Clocks” were amazing, not just an attempt to replay the same song the same way (as most covers are done), they made them their own – this wasn’t John Eastman doing Bono or Chris Martin.  I still wished I was doing the keyboards instead of the ‘puter tho!  Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” was way too much fun, and of course  Cat Steven’s “Cats In The Cradle” was dedicated to Nicole for her 26th birthday, with  guest singer “Big Rod” (yes, Jimmy, I made a note of that) making a special appearance.  Their cover of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back In Town” was turned into a medley with their original “You Outta Know” that put a new spin on an old classic.

Aside from the fun covers, hearing various versions of some faves was awesome – John pulled out his 12-string in their second set for the originals of “Smile” (which Jeanice asked them to play even tho she wasn’t there!) and “Tell Me Now” which just blew me away – never heard those two songs live before.  This much talent should be more noticed – where are the world’s eyes and ears, anyways?!!  And getting to hear a completely different version in the hard rock third set of “Tell Me Now” was, from a purely technical view, interesting to contrast in a single show.  Don’t ask me to pick a fave version – I love them both!

(and by the way, Jimmy, the comment I was making on my notes as Nicole figured out how to work the projector screen switch to make it lower in the middle of one of your songs while we were all sitting there going WTF?!!, was “The third set kicked ass!!”) – ::grins::  I actually wasn’t going to mention that until you made a point of it!!)

Here’s a video of their previous visit to Goodfellas, you can see their awesome light and sound set up, and hear some amazing rock:

I had to leave at 1:30am, I’m sure they did at least one more set but I had to get home and get at least a couple hours of sleep before kids and all called me to duty – and yet more shows to review for a Saturday!  It is always amazing to see these guys live – I’ll keep you posted on their upcoming shows, but you can find them on ReverbNation, Facebook, Myspace, and a zillion other pages – if you haven’t ever seen them, you have absolutely missed the essential rock band – just saying…

Spotlight – Goodfellas (117 South 14th Street, Springfield, OR).

Under the new ownership of Kevin and Teresa Powell, this club is deceptively tame at first glance.  If you walk in the nondescript front door (off 14th Street), this looks like another normal bar, with several pool tables available, and ample comfy seating with cozy tables just waiting to be claimed.  Weaving my way through the tables, I was greeted by friendly staff behind the bar and introduced to new owner, Teresa Powell, who was happy to see me and chatted for several minutes while deftly directing staff to their various duties.  Turning to my right, I saw a whole ‘nother side of the club – yet more tables, opening onto an ample wood dance floor and a HUGE stage.  With a nice outdoor patio for those of us dragons who still find it a pleasure to smoke coming off the left side of the stage, this venue could easily seat upwards of 200 patrons comfortably.  They have breakfast starting at 7am M-Sat (8am Sun) and lunch menus, with dinner menu items available after 3pm, and a full bar selection of course.  This is a perfect venue for live music, with a sweet house sound system and lights.  You can find more info on their Facebook page here:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/goodfellaslounge?sk=wall, or http://www.nightouteugene.com/goodfellas.  Give them a shout at (541) 726-9815 if you have questions – you know we’ll be making more stops here in the near future!

Back-To-Back, Black Forest for Three Guys That Paint, Dave and Confused, and Eastman Band, July 2, 2011

So, we were back to The Black Forest in downtown Eugene to catch Saturday night’s live performances from Three Guys That Paint, Dave and Confused, and one of our favorite local bands, the Eastman Band.  It felt like coming home, with Jason and Cassie giving us their best behind the bar, and Schuyler running sound.

Three Guys That Paint (Eric Erickson / lead vocals, guitar; Bryan Rowe  / bass; Derek Weber / drums)

Three Guys That Paint, Black Forest, July 2, 2011

They had probably 20 (at least) fans and friends at the club to support them, with cheers and whistles throughout the set.  This local Eugene band had a lot of energy, with good drums from Derek and Bryan’s bass guitar work providing a solid foundation for the trio.  Eric’s lead vocals were nice and he does some decent lead/rhythm guitar, but the back up vocals were… well, they were enthusiastic but adequate at best.  I wish I could say something better for this group – they weren’t bad, performing nice mainstream rock, but nothing outstanding at least for this set.  I didn’t hear anything that hadn’t been done before (and better).  And their cover of Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Tonight” was less than superb.

As noted by TCC’s photographer, Jeanice Marvel, Eric kept drifting away from the mic, losing the end of the verses.  But she also mentioned that they definitely had a great rapport with the patrons.  I’ll keep my final opinion on these guys held on reserve, pending subsequent performances in the future.  If you like solid rock-n-roll, these guys are definitely on that page!  You can find their updated song clips, info and upcoming shows on their myspace page here: http://www.myspace.com/threeguysthatpaint

 

Dave and Confused (David Hottenstine / guitar, vocals; Sam McKone / bass; Michael Broadus / drums)

  I loved the metal guitar work of this San Francisco-based trio!  Unfortunately, David’s lead vocals were adequate, with many of the songs in this set based on one or two notes throughout.  Otherwise, this is a really good hard rock band.  Michael’s drum work was absolutely solid, and Sam on bass just stomped.  And as much as I love the Black Forest, and Schuyler seems to be a very knowledgeable sound man, but in these tiny venues, the house PA does NOT need to be as loud as they seem to like to run them.  Sending patrons running out the door to save their hearing does not sell drinks…

Dave and Confused, Black Forest, July 2, 2011

In any event, you can definitely see the CA roots of this band – think Beach Boys bass riffs with Metallica screaming guitar riffs and thrashing drums runs.  I really liked the music they did in this extremely short (four songs?!) set, but was not all that impressed by the vocals.  I still could have heard a few more songs from these guys tho – check them out here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dave-Confused/108591778828#!/pages/Dave-Confused/108591778828?sk=info and http://www.hotsweatyloudfast.com/

 

 

Eastman Band (John Eastman – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals; Jimmy Cuelar – base, vocals; Terry Brewer – drums)

     

I have to admit, we were there primarily to see these guys (again!!) – and after sitting through the first two bands, it was a relief to hear them perform.   Despite severe technical difficulties with the house PA running the computer-synth, and everything WAY TOO LOUD, the band rocked the house down!  Our first opportunity to see an actual full set performed, the fact that two of the guys from Three Guys That Paint listened avidly to the first two songs, nodding to each other says it all.  I just cannot find anything I don’t like about this band.  They are amazing musicians  – I love John’s signature harmonic lead guitar riffs, and his lead vocals are outstanding.  Jimmy drives the bass like it was a second lead guitar, and Terry is a demon on drums.

Notwithstanding the fact that it was late by the time they started, the club still had a lot of folks there who definitely enjoyed the show.  They opened with their popular “Facebook Friend,” followed by hard rock numbers “It’s Been Awhile,” “Wasn’t Looking,” “Paybacks (Are a Bitch),” and “Riding High.”  Then Jimmy caught me by surprise, pointing directly at our table and shouting, “This next one is by your request!”  It was their amazing ballad, “Tell Me Now” that I just adore – and they nailed it (despite the synthesizer/house PA communication problems).  They finished up with “Get Out (Of My Room),” “Neighborhood,” and closed with “Girls Like You.”

Well, they tried to close with that.  We managed to talk them into an encore performance of “Blood Suckin’ Bastards” and then they gave us a sneak peak at a song they are currently working on, temporarily titled “Our Crew” which features mini-portraits of their road crew (who yelled and pointed to each other when they were named in the song – it was hysterical!), showing the band’s sincere appreciation for the guys that they literally could not go anywhere without.

If you have never seen this band perform live you absolutely must – they’ll be at Goodfellas this Friday, July 8 in Springfield (and yes, we’ll be there again!!) and have more shows coming up – check their facebook and ReverbNation pages for details, song clips, bio, and to keep track of them!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eastman-Band/144556865590756?sk=info#!/pages/Eastman-Band/144556865590756?sk=app_2405167945, http://www.reverbnation.com/eastmanband

Out Of Bounds – Taj Majal Trio at Roseburg’s 2011 Music On The Half Shell

Taj Mahal Trio, Roseburg, OR June 21, 2011

Who wouldn’t grab the chance to see the legendary Taj Mahal performing at a FREE live concert in a beautiful, outdoor venue?!  Evidently, no one in Douglas County – I think every resident of Roseburg and its surrounding towns was there for the opening of Roseburg’s 2011 Music On The Half Shell, held at Nichols Bandshell in Stewart Park.

The park was filled to overflowing with folks ready to move and groove to the smooth sounds of this amazing trio.  It was a wonderful concert, so much so that Victoria (TCC editor/columnist in training) said, “I don’t usually like jazz music – but I really like these guys.  This music doesn’t remind me of elevator music!” (hey, she’s 14 years old, what can I say?!).

Taj Mahal Trio, Roseburg, OR June 21, 2011

TCC photographer Jeanice added, “If this music was playing, I’d be more inclined to get into an elevator!” (she abhors elevators, being more than slightly claustrophobic)  If I was one of these musicians, I’m not sure I would have taken those comments as complimentary at face value, but knowing the intended spirit, this was high praise indeed!

The crowd loved them so much they called for an encore, which the group was happy to give them – with the perfect weather, the river park and folks genuinely happy to be there, it was an all around great event.

Of course, I had to put in a plug for our local bands at this Out Of Bounds! event – so I made sure everyone there got a glimpse of one of Eugene’s most recently notable groups…

Eugene Bands REPRESENT!!

yep, that’s me sporting an Eastman Band t-shirt!!  3 generations of Lane County music fans are pictured – Laurel (TCC editor/columnist), Victoria (Laurel’s 14 yr old daughter), and Joshua (TCC photographer Jeanice’s son, 3 yrs old).  You can catch the Eastman Band live (with 3 Guys That Paint and Dave & Confused) on July 2 at The Black Forest – you know we’ll be there!

And the winner is…

The Grand Finale of 2011′s Last Band Standing at the WoW Hall, Eugene, Oregon rocked the house and found one band left standing!

With The Lowmen not able to play due to a schedule conflict, there were four bands entering the finals – Atension, Eastman Band, This Patch of Sky, and Harness Unseen.  We had a stunning turnout – thank you Eugene for coming to support local live music!!  Only one band remains after the votes cast by the audience are counted, and that band gets a lot of fun stuff – 32 hours of studio sessions at Don Ross Productions, live performance on the Eugene Weekly stage at the Eugene Celebration, and I heard a rumor of an equipment trailer… not to mention all the press coverage from the same.  It wasn’t a battle to the death, but there was only one band left standing by the end of the night… and no, I’m not going to tell you who the winner is yet (and for those of you who skip the review to find out – ::SMACK:: – chill already, you impatient thugs!)

First band up – Atension (2 stars)

 
Set list: “California Dreaming,” “Make It Out Alive,” “Revelation,” “Alive Again,” and (I think it was called) “Montage” closing the set.

These guys have so much potential, but tonight’s performance was not their strongest unfortunately -

What worked:  Wyatt on drum kit is amazing, they still absolutely nailed the changes in various time signatures.  Andrew’s bass runs were dead on, and the two guitars (Matt Bailey on lead and front man Matt Zhun on rhythm) bounce back and forth like mischievous kids playing tag.  Clearly introducing each song title was definitely helpful!

What could have been better:  Zhun’s lead vocals still sound weak and forced, but will continue to get stronger with time I am sure.  The guitars are still not in tune with each other or the bass, which doesn’t help the lead vocal tracking.

In conclusion:  I like this pop-rock band, but they do have some challenges.   Don’t stop working on your material, guys – I wanna see you again in a year when you just begin to come into your potential awesomeness!

Second band up – Eastman Band (4 stars)

Set List:  “Facebook Friend,” Neighborhood,” “Girls Like You,” Last Band Standing,” “Blood Suckin Bastards”

I suspect the guys were just the tiniest bit stressed, it wasn’t their best set but they still nailed every single song -

What worked:  John’s vocals are great, crawling into a scary basement growl then soaring into a nerve-bending howl, with the lyrics all completely understandable from word to word.  His guitar work is stunning – I absolutely love the harmonic riffs which are perfectly placed in “Facebook Friend” and “Blood Suckin Bastards.”  Terry’s drums were excellent, and Jimmy’s bass pounds.  The floor was full of screaming fans with hands in the air.  I especially liked the addition of “Girls Like You” in the set, showcasing John’s guitar work in particular.  They do a great job of playing to the crowd – directing lyrics, making eye contact, slapping hands, moving from stage left to right to connect.  It always cracks me up when they play “Last Band Standing” – they have no shame, but it completely works!  Perfect sound levels as well (thanks for listening to my recommendations, Jeff!)

What could have been better:  Energy wasn’t as high or focused as I’ve seen from them previously – just a matter of less stressing about the competition and more sleep, guys!

In conclusion:  For your basic no-holds-barred, in your face (literally) rock, this band fits the bill!  I will be poking them frequently and repeatedly to be doing more local venues now that this is all over (but the shouting).

Third up – This Patch of Sky (3 1/2 stars)

Set list: (unknown)

An excellent instrumental rock band (with isolated screamo lyrics thrown in), John Eastman says they remind him of Pink Floyd (I can see that) -

What worked:  This is group of musicians who love what they do, and you can see it every time they play.  I’ve heard them perform a stronger set before, but it was still a decent showing.  Andrew and Kit do an awesome job on guitars, and Kit’s mouth harp adds a unique twist.  Nate’s drums were excellent with Joel on bass fitting in like hand in glove.  With lots of fans at the stage, they gave us a great show!

What could have been better:   Again, I just didn’t feel that their hearts were completely in it – and as much as they are outstanding musicians, without lyrics for a “hook” and more connection with the audience, they definitely have a path of more resistance before them.

In conclusion:   A perfect band to rock out with – I know we will continue to see them in the area and hope they have the opportunity to do some national touring.

Fourth up – Harness Unseen (4 stars)

   

Set list: (unknown)

They remind me a bit of Soundgarden and, despite the fact that these guys are from Roseburg, they are an amazing band -

What worked:  They have a firm grasp on the consummate use of various time signatures within a song.  Everything about their set screamed that they were 100% invested in this performance.  Timing was absolutely flawless, Justin’s bass nailed both percussion and foundation for the Jacob’s flowing guitar riffs, and James’ drums were freaking outrageous.  They had an amazing number of friends and fans there, who were pounding right along with each song.  For sheer bad-a$$ hard rock, these guys are awesome!

What could have been better:  Jacob’s lead vocals were difficult to understand (try backing just a tad off the mic and enunciating just a bit more), and they could work the audience more aggressively.  Intros for the songs by title would give us a good map of how to find their stuff online when a particular song catches our attention during a live performance.

In conclusion:   Douglas County needs to step up to the plate – these guys are so close to perfect already, and they had to come to Lane County to get any serious attention.  If they had been a Lane County band, and with the addition of clearer vocals, song intros, and better audience contact, they would have ACED this competition and gotten a 5 star rating here!

So, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

This time we stuck around to hear the announcement by DL from NRQ from the results of the audience votes.  After an unsuccessful attempt by a drunk Harness Unseen fan who tried to grab and run off with the Eastman Band voting box, the boxes were collected and rushed off to the green room to be tallied.  When DL opened the door just before midnight with empty boxes in hand, the crowd (significantly smaller but still decently represented) started cheering.  He jumped to the stage, grabbed the mic, and announced:

“… and the winner is…  EASTMAN BAND!!!“

and the screams from the crowd made the windows shake!  It was an awesome moment – to be able to share that with everyone there, rushing the guys, pounding their backs, hugs and tears and cheering – I’m still shaking my head.

Thank you to all the bands who participated in the 2011 Last Band Standing – and thank you to everyone who came out to support and encourage them.  Here’s a challenge to all Eugene music lovers – GET OUT AND SEE OUR LOCAL LIVE MUSIC!!!  Keep reading this column as The Club Circuit begins its annual tour of Lane County’s live music venues: spotlighting clubs, featuring live band interviews, and of course reviews from bands performing throughout the Willamette Valley!