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There’s nothing Phony about this video, you could tell  from the beginning what was in store for those cheating male egos and their overconfident character trait. There's an instant party vibe channeling the 90s, glamorized by antique sports cars, driven by a strong female lead. The futuristic theme tells a story of femininity taking on the alpha male role. Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj and a few female artists have dominated this genre to send this  message of women  empowerment. The video style and  visuals delivers cross over fashion  styles from Marilyn pinup hair dos, to J’Los Furr,  Mariah Careys body shimmered Corsets  and Cardi B’s Knee-high boot.

Hot men were outnumbered in this video piece as the eye candy; It’s like “California love” by Tupac meets “Run the World” by Beyonce"

-Denise Taylor

Published in Video Picks

Pardon me, or whomever, last night's Hunnypot Live was judged a winner. Hot Tub Johnnie started by sentencing everyone with a party music playlist. Jeff Cardoni get yard time with Hot Tub and DJ Spectrum to talk about his illustrious composing career. He also brought a playlist he enjoys in solitary. Torrey Mercer sang arresting pop music tunes. Billy Hammer pleaded his 5th instruments to us for desert soundscapes. Stoops & Tone Gold broke rocks and raps live on stage. Tucker Lives commuticated sweet soul pop music and Hot Tub closed the night with another prison riot dance party. (2/17/2020)

JEFF CARDONI

JEFF CARDONI (COMPOSER, INTERVIEW/DJ SET)

Jeff Cardoni’s talents range from intimate independent fare to full orchestral majesty. With over 45 feature film scores and several network series to his credit, one can hear his work worldwide every day. His unique ability to cross genres has made him a powerful player in the film composing industry.

Jeff originally studied classical piano, while playing percussion in school orchestra. But it would be rock and roll that would lead him to Los Angeles in 1997. After a brief stint as lead guitarist for the Warner Bros. band "Alien Crime Syndicate", Jeff left to pursue film scoring full time. He worked under several Hollywood composers including John Murphy (Snatch, 28 Days Later) while studying conducting and orchestration at UCLA. He was recently voted ASCAP 2019 TV Composer Of The Year, alongside such greats as John Debney, Bear McCreary, Nicholas Britell, and Daniel Pemberton.

His body of work ranges from studio features such as Fox’s Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates , Step Up: All In, Just Friends, Open Season 3, Firehouse Dog and Miss March, independent films such as The Confirmation from Oscar nominated Bob Nelson

(Nebraska) and The Vicious Kind (Sundance Premiere), to television scores such the hit

Mike Judge comedy Silicon Valley for HBO, CBS drama Training Day with the late Bill Paxton, the highest rated comedy of the year Young Sheldon for Chuck Lorre, and the worldwide Jerry Bruckheimer produced hit CSI:Miami.

Jeff is also an active songwriter, penning the theme songs to FX’s The League, MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”, and Fox’s MadTV,  with songs appearing countless films, including "Hard Knock Life" with Mike Myers in Austin Powers, “Long Road Home” featuring Gene Simmons of Kiss for CSI, on camera songs for Fox’s Gotham, The Sweetest Thing with Cameron Diaz, A Walk To Remember, New York Minute and many others. Jeff produced several songs with Jon Lajoie for the soundtrack to The League and a Lexus spot with legendary alternative rock group The Pixies.

Recent scores include the Golden Globe winning Netflix series The Kominsky Method, starring Academy Award winners Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, the final season of HBO’s hit Silicon Valley, the Bad Boys spinoff series LA’s Finest for Jerry Bruckheimer, the Christmas feature Same Time Next Christmas for director Stephen Herek (Mr. Holland’s Opus), and the thriller feature Paradise Cove starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty).

 

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Spotify


TorreyMercer

TORREY MERCER

Award-winning San Diego/Los Angeles based recording artist and songwriter Torrey Mercer brings bold charisma to the stage thru her live show and inspiring lyrics.

Torrey Mercer is more than just a musical artist, she is a survivor, an activist, and her music has been a light in the dark for many who are struggling. Feeling like an outcast growing up has made her empathetic and compassionate for others and drives her music and lyric endeavors.

Website  Soundcloud  Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Spotify


billy hammer 2019

BILLY HAMMER

Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, Billy Hammer, is set to release his latest single “Glow” on December 6th, 2019. A former remixer, he got his start as “GARLYN,” with his top two tracks amassing nearly 1M streams on SoundCloud and counting. With his Soundcloud days behind him, Billy Hammer’s recent work is characterized by its seamless blend of desert-psychedelia and electropop, and he writes, producers and records all of his music single handedly. 

His upcoming track, “Glow,” is a story told through vignettes, each verse about chasing adventure and life-changing experiences. For Hammer, growing up in suburbia, the song is personal, the first verse describing the time he left his old life behind to be a musician in Los Angeles. A common thread across the vignettes, Hammer speaks to the power of music as a force of change and revelation. 

Across his work, Billy Hammer discusses a search for meaning and often cites desert imagery and existentialism as inspiration. After mastering guitar, violin, and piano in his childhood, and becoming a popular future bass producer by the end of grade school, Billy Hammer’s work is a unique mix of live and electronic elements, making him a multi-talented musician to watch

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Spotify


stoops

STOOPS

tone gold

TONE GOLD

STOOPS & TONE GOLD

STOOPS - What up doe? I know bios are reserved for the third person, but I like speaking for myself, so you’re stuck with me.

While I call L.A. home these days, Detroit will always have my heart. I was born and raised there, but after watching Entourage and visiting the west, I knew I had to move there to see what the hype was all about. But before all of that, I was just a young boy in Detroit. Hip-hop was always there for me, but it wasn’t until I listened to The Slim Shady LP on a family road trip that I knew it was deeper than just being a fan. It was my calling. I had to make somebody feel the same way Em was making me feel. It was MANDATORY.

Fast forward and we’re here; over 500,000 video views, over 100,000 streams, and a feat that nobody else in the history of music has accomplished (google the 52 Week Remix Challenge). And most importantly, we’ve barely scratched the surface. So if you’re reading this, I hope to call you a fan. And if you aren’t, stick around. It’s only a matter of time.What up doe? I know bios are reserved for the third person, but I like speaking for myself, so you’re stuck with me.

 

TONE GOLD - Rhymes written with potent precision balanced between braggadocios hooks over car-friendly beats make up the essential elements that craft the Tone Gold experience. Tone hails from the Midwest, Cleveland, OH, which he so warmly calls “The Land”. He pulls in the listener with a cocky yet refreshing style, strongly influenced by the sounds of Oakland, LA, Houston, Chicago and New York.

Tone credits Chamillionaire, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Dr. Dre, B.I.G. and Rakim as his greatest influences on the microphone. For fans of Curren$y, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Fabolous, you’ve struck GOLD! If not, look around and press play because you may hear something you’ll like.

Facebook (Stoops)  Twitter (Stoops)  Facebook (Tone Gold)  Instagram (Stoops)  Instagram (Tone Gold) Spotify (Tone Gold)  Spotify (Stoops)


tucker.lives

TUCKER LIVES

Tucker Lives is a singer/songwriter and musician based in Los Angeles, California. His mother’s favorite artist was Prince, which greatly influenced his sound. He was also close to his football coach, who listened to ZZ Top, which led to his acceptance of different genres of music. Tucker Lives has always had a passion for music but started off as a songwriter before eventually coming into his own as a singer.

His debut EP, Awkward Truth was released in 2018 on Spotify. Tucker Lives is also recording his next album, which features a sound that is more true to himself that shows his maturity as an artist. He is currently performing throughout the Southern California area, in a city near you

Soundcloud  Twitter  Instagram

Published in Hunnypot Live

The long-awaited return of one of the most formidable metal alliances of all-time is finally upon us.  Demons & Wizards; the celebrated collaboration between Jon Schaffer, mastermind of the unyielding metal band, Iced Earth; and Hansi Kürsch, the soaring voice of the Tolkien-inspired Power Metal legends, Blind Guardian have come off of their mountaintops to join us on this mortal coil.  Their latest burnt offering, III, manifests everything that makes both Schaffer and Kürsch powerhouses of the genre with every song an epic unto itself.  The duo also called upon Schaffer’s familiar cast of studio musicians from Iced Earth’s past and present including long-time collaborator, Jim Morris of Morrisound to lend his stellar lead guitar work to the fold.

With both Schaffer and Kürsch’s celebrated bands in full throttle, one would think another Demons & Wizards album would be doomed to be an afterthought.  From the haunting opening track, “Diabolic” all doubt is set aflame as we’re quickly transported through the cavernous unknown into a world of fire and brimstone with Kürsch’s melodic harmonies perfectly complimenting Schaffer’s razor sharp trademark guitar attack.  Each song takes on a life of its own with the duo exploring a multitude of genres throughout the album.  “Wolves in Winter” is a triumphant sprint through an avalanche of ice and the band has never sounded more ferocious.  Schaffer’s stygian approach to songwriting has clearly influenced and evoked some of Kürsch’s most aggressive and memorable vocal performances to date on “Dark Side of Her Majesty” and “New Dawn.” 

Meanwhile, “Midas Disease” and “Invincible” are a clear instrumental departure from the rest of the album that still stands well on their own.  Both songs are reminiscent of Schaffer’s own hard rock influences as heard on Iced Earth’s own cover album, Tribute to the Gods.  “Split” is perhaps the most experimental and ambitious track on III with the song taking sharp twists and turns yet never losing momentum. Clocking in at over 10 minutes, “Children of Cain” is an epic dystopian tale weaved by Kürsch with Schaffer closing the album with an instrumental crescendo to turn the final weathered page of a story long since past.

III is Demons & Wizards’ testament of brotherhood and legacy, a sharp-edged blade that has stood the test of time.  Schaffer and Kürsch’s musical worlds have always orbited very closely to one another.  Seeing both Heavy Metal behemoths step out of the light of their individual success and emerge into something even greater is refreshing. Two decades have passed since the undisputed lords of Power Metal joined forces and through the success and longevity of their own projects, they’ve both clearly matured as songwriters and the musical bond they share is eternal.  Demons & Wizards’ latest album, III is an enchanting addition to the impressive collection that all Iced Earth and Blind Guardian faithful holds so dear.  Pick up your copy today and don’t let the regret of losing out on this treasure consume your soul.

 

As always, rock on my friends!     Hunnypot Approved!     Overall Rating:  9.2 out of 10

Artist: Demons & Wizards,  AlbumIII  Release Date: February 21st, 2020,  LabelCentury Media Records

 

Published in Hunnypot Does

Tuesday evening was most definitely one for the books as Chris Carrabba and Dashboard Confessional took the stage at the House of Blues in Dallas for a sold-out show.  I remember listening to Dashboard on my MP3 player in middle school and the night definitely brought back the nostalgia of my younger emo days.  Piebald accompanied them on the 20 Year Celebration Tour and the crowd began piling in around 7PM.  I was looking forward to two great performances.

Starting off the night was Piebald.  They hail from Andover, Massachusetts and got the crowd going right away.  I had never heard of them before, but I really enjoyed their incredible 17-song set.  Kicking things off with their song “Long Nights”, they brought an awesome groove to the HOB stage.  Piebald was very high energy and really fun to watch.  You could really tell they have been doing this for a long time.  After doing some research, I found out they have been performing since 1997 – and to be fair, it showed through the talent they exuded on the stage.

For being the opener, Piebald really gave it their all.  They played some of their classic jams like “Grace Kelly With Wings”, “King of the Road”, and “American Hearts”.  I think “King of the Road” was probably one of my favorites from their set.  As Piebald's show came to a close, they finished off with their hit,  “Karate Chops For Everyone But Us”.  It was a fantastic performance and really set the tone for Dashboard to come out and blow us away.

As fans stood toe to heal in the sea of people, Dashboard Confessional took to the stage in an unfamiliar fashion.  Chris Carrabba decided to start things off a little slow with some acoustic jams including “The Best Deceptions” and “So Beautiful”.  It was a truly a beautiful way start to the set and set the stage for the rest of the show.  At this point in the night, the House of Blues was packed, and you could barely move throughout the venue.  Being up so close was literally a dream come true as we all yelled the lyrics to all of Dashboard's incredible songs. Carrabba continued with some more of the hits like “We Fight”, “Screaming Infidelities”, “The Swiss Army Romance”, and so many others. Fans in attendance were loving every moment.

The night was coming to a close,  and you could tell Chris was saving the best songs for last.  Everyone knew it wasn’t actually over when it was “over”.  Moments later, lights come up and they ran right into “Vindicated” and the roars of the crowd seemed to blow the roof off the house.  You could hear every word being sung in the venue.  Dashboard continued the encore with “Stolen” and closed with fan-favorite “Hands Down”.  The performance took me back to a time and place when all that mattered was the music, and I was happy to be able to experience Dashboard Confessional's 20 Year Celebration Tour.  Carrabba and company rocked the House of Blues and never let up the entire time.  If you have the chance to catch them on this tour, you definitely should.  Simply put, it was a great show!

 

Published in Hunnypot Does

Atmosphere’s been making waves in the independent hip-hop scene since as long as I can remember.  I only caught onto Slug and Ant in 2002 with God Loves Ugly, but they had already been active as a duo since 1997.  Recently, they just released their newest album Whenever and hit the road in early 2020 to promote it on their The Wherever Tour – North America.  Atmosphere's been selling out shows of this tour in cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and Chicago, so I knew I had to catch their sold-out Los Angeles show at The Novo.

When I rolled up, The Lioness was already on stage warming up the room with her witty and insightful music.  I grabbed a drink and walked this incredible venue, ending up on The Novo’s second floor patio.  It's a killer spot to enjoy a drink or catch a smoke in between sets, and I took some time prior to Atmosphere taking the stage to chat with fans during the brief intermission.  I soon noticed people start to make their way back into the venue as anticipation grew for the main act, and headed back in as I too was excited for this one to begin.  I took my position in the photo pit as this was show was ready to get underway.

As lights dimmed, Ant and a supporting DJ made their way behind the boards and laptops.  Shortly after, donned in a hoody, gloves, glasses, and a peacoat, Slug burst onto the stage with a red solo cup in hand.  The crowd erupted and fans could tell this show was going to be special.  Over the next two-hours, Atmosphere killed a ridiculously long set that made up for the shorter one played the day before at One Love Cali Reggae Festival in Long Beach.  They played a decent amount of material off of Whenever, but they still gave the crowd what they wanted with some of the nostalgic classic jams that spanned their near 25-year career in hip-hop.   Expectedly, it was “Fuck You Lucy” that was probably the most nostalgic moment of the night.  

After 2+ decades of creating and performing music as Atmosphere, Slug and Ant haven’t slowed down a bit.  As a matter of fact, they’ve gotten better with time as witnessed at The Novo on Saturday night.  Armed with an impeccable work ethic and incredible raw talent, Atmosphere took what used to be a merely a teenage hobby and turned it into a successful career that has withstood the test of time.  They're considered one the most hardworking, high-quality hip-hop acts on the planet and their live performances are a 'must-see' for any hip-hop aficionado.  I would highly recommend checking out Atmosphere when they roll through your town, and would circle the date now as it's a show you just can't miss. 

 

 

Published in Hunnypot Does

Tonight,  GosT was in town and performing live at the Echo in Los Angeles.  He is currently on the road supporting his most recent full-length album,  Valediction, which came out this past October.  The album is a mix of 80s synth, guitar, gothic vocals, and heavy blast-beats.  The current tour started in Denver, CO on January 28th and will continue on through mid February ending in Atlanta, GA.  Lucky for us, it was LA's turn tonight!

It was an early set this evening as doors opened at 6,  and GosT took the stage promptly by 7:45.  As soon as he took the dimly lit stage, you could feel the crowd light up with energy.  GosT took the stage in all black and had his face done up in corpse paint.  A white masked bass player also accompanied him on stage.  Everyone watched and moved to the music, which really had an 80’s feel to it.  It was nice and loud with some heavy beats that shook the stage and had the fans dancing and moving the entire evening.  GosT's sound was a throwback for sure but really resonated with fans in attendance.

Some highlights from the evening included tracks such as "Relentless Passing," "Bloody Roses," "The Call of The Faithful," "She Lives in Red Light," "Ligature Marks," and "Genesee Avenue."  GosT unleashed a truly a powerful set that left the audience in awe and was clear to all in attendance that he came prepared to rip the soul out of the Echo (and his fans) on Saturday evening.  Once the set was over, he made his way to the merch table where he was greeted with a huge line of fans waiting to capture a glimpse of the man.  This was a perfect way for the crowd to meet the man behind the music.  Overall, GosT's show was just what the doctor ordered on Saturday night and gave fans of all ages a memorable show taht won't soon be forgotten.  

We hope to have him back in LA again soon!  See pictures from tonight's event below.

 

 

 

Published in Hunnypot Does

All right, admit it.  When you hear someone mention Night Ranger,  the first thing that pops into your mind is “Sister Christian.”  Rightfully so, as that ballad was the most successful and lasting song of their career, peaking at #5 on the Billboard charts way back in 1983.  Indeed, their defining song for sure, but I’m here to tell you they have much more up their sleeve.  Their first three albums all reached Platinum status solidifying their might in the crowded 80’s hard rock scene.  This tour’s moniker is the Dawn Patrol and Midnight Madness Double Album Tour, where the band is celebrating these albums and playing them in their entirety back to back.  I must say, the prospects of hearing these classics played as I first heard them back in the day had me looking forward to a great show.

When the house lights at The Grove dimmed, the jam-packed crowd all rose in unison, and the band began pounding out an extended intro to their anthem “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”  When the upbeat rocker finally kicked in, goodnight.  Was it possible to be completely blown away after 30 seconds?  Night Ranger was in full-force and quickly made it clear we were in for one bad-ass show.

Jack Blades (lead vocals, bass guitar), jumping around like a spry 25-year-old nailed down the bottom end while throwing vocals that rivaled the original recordings!  He was flanked by the guitar legend Brad Gillis to his left, and Orange County’s own Keri Kelli on his right, who were trying to out-do each other all night long.  It bears to mention that in my opinion, Brad Gillis is one of the most overlooked and unappreciated guitarists in rock history.  The playing, the enthusiasm, the energy, all off the scale!  Rounding out this cohesive and talented unit was Eric Levy holding down the signature keyboard sound, and of course, Kelly Keagy on drums, lending his vocals on the hits “Sing Me Away” and, “Sister Christian.”

In between the two albums, the band played an acoustic version of “High Enough” from the Damn Yankees and “Four in the Morning,” from their 1998 release, Seven.  Blades also treated us occasionally, with some cool stories about the band from back in the day.  For example, how shocked they were to be on the road touring in their early days and learning their record company had gone broke.  Or, when their debut album Dawn Patrol was initially released, the first 10,000 copies didn’t have their full name on the album cover!  One of my favorite moments of the show was during the song “Night Ranger,” the band (minus Levy) all made their way to Keagy’s drum set and took part in the drum solo.  Four guys all pounding away all at the same time. Those poor drums.  What a spectacle you don’t see all that often.

What I found priceless was having the opportunity to attend a show with my lovely wife Paula, along with some great friends that, in a way, transported us back in time.  During those formidable years, Night Ranger was a big part of the soundtrack of our lives and definitely a time that my wife and I won't forget.  Truly special moment for us to say the least.

You too can experience the spectacle that is Night Ranger, who must be seen to appreciate.  They are on tour across the U.S. now through the summer, proving to everyone that you can indeed Still Rock in America.  Again, I cannot emphasize more what a slam-dunk good time this group is.  You’ll find yourself dancing, rocking and smiling all the way home!

Published in Hunnypot Does

Rodney Bingenhimer stated “We may not ever have another David Bowie or Marc Bolan but we've got GYASI which is a step in the right direction.” and Paste has described this act as “an enigma to say the least, a glorious mixture of David Bowie and Marc Bolan with the slightest modern twist”. If you don’t know who I’m talking about, it’s GYASI, who's been giving glam rock a comeback! With singles like “Kiss Kiss” and “Nightcrawl”, I’m surprised they haven’t gotten more recognition! 


The hidden gem of what is “Tongue Tied” is not only a sexy cinematic video full of color but a fresh breath of air. The shots in this music video are amazing and so is the performance of Brynn Route. GYASI really plays with the video angles and his lyrics in this video. This one is one of my favorite tunes and thanks to the Prince of Pop, GYASI may just breakthrough!  

Written by Elsie Hernandez

Published in Video Picks

California Rocker and frequent Hunnypot Guest, Donna Balancia, did a great write up of Rodney Bingenheimer's guest appearance on Hunnypot Live #434.

Rodney Bingenheimer told some stories and spun some discs as the special guest on Hunnypot Live broadcast from The Mint in Los Angeles on Monday night. Bingenheimer, who has a Sunday show on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius XM, spent time with Hot Tub Johnnie, co-host Jeff Gray and the crew. “I met Rodney when he came to The Mint to see one of the artists,” said Hunnypot Live host Hot Tub Johnnie. “I said ‘We’d like to have you on the show, and that’s how we got him.”With his colorful stories, Bingenheimer is a legend, having driven around David Bowie, hung out with Elvis and Sinatra and hosted Iggy Pop at his legendary English Disco in LA.

-DONNA BALANCIA.

Rodney guests on Hunnypot - Courtesy
Rodney guests on Hunnypot – Courtesy Hunnypot Unlimited

Bingenheimer came to Hollywood at 16, did some acting, in particular as the double for Davey Jones in a Monkees episode but came to music fame iwth his column in Go magazine and then the record companies with radio promotion. At KROQ, where Bingenheimer was the hottest DJ since 1976, he did everything from hosting incoming calls to picking the hottest young artists and new music. There’s even a documentary on Bingenheimer, called “Mayor of The Sunset Strip,” by the late George Hickenlooper. Bingenheimer opened the Hunnypot Live show with tunes by Gyasi and The Velvet Starlings and said Gyasi was one of the youngsters influenced by Bowie. He also played The Dollyrots and Clem Burke’s band, The Tearaways. The success of the English Disco led him to his KROQ career. It was a place where the upcoming bands of the day would DJ and some would perform. Bingenheimer recalled when Elvis introduced him to Frank Sinatra.

Rodney Bingenheimer on Hunnypot Live - Courtesy
Rodney Bingenheimer on Hunnypot Live – Courtesy Hunnypot Unlimited

“We went to Las Vegas, I took Screaming Lord Sutch to Las Vegas to see Elvis Presley at the International Hotel,” he said. “There was a party afterwards, and Nancy Sinatra was there, she opened the show with Elvis and she was at the party upstars at the international. And Elvis said ‘I want you to meet Frank Sinatra.'” Another time, he recalled, he went to Orange County with Queen to see The Runaways in Fullerton High School. “We arrive at the High School, Roger Taylor, Brian May and myself,” he recalled. “We get out of my old Cadillac, walk up to the school grounds. The principal stops us said ‘You can’t come on the school property,’  I said ‘I’m with Queen,’ the principal said ‘I don’t care if you’re with the king, you can’t come on property.'” As far as studio guests, The Specials could have used a lesson in talking on the radio instead of nodding their heads, and Duran Duran brought the people. “We had a whole parking lot full of girls,” he said. He said the best show he ever saw was Bowie as Ziggy Stardust at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. He said he’s still a fan of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, he discovered Van Halen and Cold Play and he loves the new alternative and punk bands, but, Bingenheimer says, “I’ll play The Ronettes, Leslie Gore and Nancy Sinatra.”

 

Click Here to listen to the rebroadcast (podcast) of Rodney's Interview

 

 

 

 

Published in Press

On Wednesday night in Dallas, fans came together for an intimate show with The Almost and their special guests in the Cambridge Room at the House of Blues.  This show was to feature their 2007 release Southern Weather in its entirety.  To give context, the Cambridge room is a smaller venue on the second floor of the House of Blues.  I’ve always liked this room because you get to be up close and personal with the bands and that intimacy was key for fans primed and ready for a rocking night.  Add in the fact that this was the last show of the If I Believed You Tour and we were all off to the races!

To get things kicked off, a local band from College Station, Odd Folks, jumped on stage to get the show started.  Getting their start in 2015, Odd Folks have been working on making their impact in the scene and think this was a great show for them to get noticed.  Opening with their song “Friends”, you could really tell the crowd was enjoying it.  Odd Folks was the perfect band to open up this show.

Next up was the one-piece act, Riley Matthew Anglen (better known as “ROWDY”).  He's also the current bassist for The Almost.  Rowdy took his performance in another direction that night as he pulled out his acoustic guitar and started playing some country songs he wrote with Aaron Gillespie in the middle of a desert.  My favorite song he played was “Hang It On”.  It was a beautiful performance and complete change of pace for the show.  I never thought I would be so into hearing some country tunes in the middle of a rock concert, but these were special.  Well done!

Following Rowdy were Alabama natives, Ghost Atlas, a band that has a huge talent for making emotion come alive through their songs.  I think I was most impressed with the talent of Jesse Cash, who is also guitar and vocals for the band ERRA of Sumerian Records.  Jesse has a way of hitting notes that seem impossible to hit while screaming.  Ghost Atlas started as a side project for Jesse and it has blossomed into a phenomenal band.  The song I think I liked the most was their closer, “Sacred Organs”.  It was a burst of pure rock grit and they really crushed it.  I plan to see them next time they come through Dallas.

Giving Ghost Atlas a run for their money were the coastal boys in All Get Out.  Formed by Nathan Hussey (Vocals/Guitar) and Kyle Samuel (Guitar), these guys came out without skipping a beat and picked up where Ghost Atlas left off the previous set.  Never seeing All Get Out before, I knew was in for a treat as they had the coveted 2nd spot right before The Almost.  Unconventionally,  they opened up with their most streamed track on Spotify, “The Season” and it definitely got the crowd’s attention.  Song after song, All Get Out was not letting up until they got to their final song, “ATX”.  It’s like they slowed it all the way down just to go the hardest they could at the end.  Great performance all around.

After a number of great bands had performed, The Almost was finally ready to take the stage.  Their singer and guitarist Aaron Gillespie, also the drummer in the band Underoath, had a stage presence to him that exuded so much confidence which made for great photos.  They all came out rocking the stage with the song “Summer Weather” and the crowd was there for it.  The Clearwater, Florida rock band was so in sync and giving it their all on this final performance of the If I Believed You Tour.  They played more of the hits from Southern Weather like “Drive There Now”, “I Mostly Copy Other People”, and “Say This Sooner” to name a few.

The night was phenomenal in every sense and I enjoyed every second of it.  At one point the band members, besides Aaron, said thank you to the crowd for a great night and tour then exited the stage.  Aaron stayed on stage and grabbed his acoustic guitar.  He said he doesn’t understand the point of going off stage to come back on, so he just went straight into the encore, playing two songs, “Dirty and Left Out” and “Amazing Because It Is”.  Everyone could feel the energy in the Cambridge room during those two songs and it was awesome to see the entire crowd singing along.  Aaron ended it on a soft note thanking everyone for coming out to see them on this tour run.  What a show!

Published in Hunnypot Does
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