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THE YEAR IN LOCAL MUSIC
By Scott Baker
As 2005 comes to a close, another solid year of local music heads to the annual archive of who, what, when and where, and how lucky we were for it.
While it may have been a slow year for
musical growth, originality, and the great amount of venues that have
closed their doors or limited their live music nights, there certainly
is a musical heartbeat that has kept the blood flowing for the
Mid-Michigan area and into the beyond.
From rock to rap, metal to jazz, blues to
singer/songwriter, and country to pop, there is still an underground
growth that keeps the future of Tri-cities music alive and kicking.
Review This Radio on the web (www.reviewthisradio.com), kicked off a few
months back, is a good place to start to hear the past, present and
future of Michigan's budding music scene
So what could you count on in 2005 all
around town in the form of dependable, quality music?
Burnaround have consistently
maintained their pure rock delivery. Maybe August kept the good
time sound and spirit moving forward, acoustic and electric and even
introducing us to some new friends along the way. Groove Circle
made their rounds all over the Tri-city, sustaining a quality cover band
nightlife that anyone can count on for a great evening out. The Happy
Bastids continue to bring their over-the-top bop of classic and '80s
rock to the masses in their own unique way. The Lovelys picked up
where Lila Rasa left off, even with musical chairs, to continue
the Downtown Saginaw pulse.
Making their way to the local festival
stages and big events, all the while jumping leaps and bounds in their
sounds, turnout, and fan base included Empty Pockets who had the
hot-gig in the Bay City and Midland nightlife earlier in the year.
Mongo Straight came out of nowhere to play at nearly every Bay City
gathering, keeping the fun intact and putting some new faces on the map.
Still alive and kicking the good times
included Count 'n the Change, The TNT Blues Band, Marty Viers
and Jedi Mind Trip as well as original acts The Process
and Laurie Middlebrook, who have all stayed alive in one form or
another. When you see one of these names on the billboard, you know
you've reached somewhere in the Tri-cities and any of the aforementioned
will be very reliable entertainment.
Original music kept momentum, even though
it was harder to find locally, with many bars and clubs not accepting
any change of music as of late. Checking the majority of the new groups
out on the web, you will see that most have shows outside of the area,
well into 2006, speaking well above what many potential fans will miss
in this market, where it's becoming very hard to find a breath of fresh
air.
The Banana Convention could very
well have been the original highlight of the year, creating a splash
wherever they play. With a mix of dance, groove, and bubble gum swagger,
they give more bang for the buck than many bands on the circuit. Their
new EP is available on CD Baby as we speak.
The Reed Brothers released a pop
gem, Songs from the North. Packed with Andy Reed's sweet vocal
and brother Jason's plentiful groove, this is the
singer/songwriter version of The Haskels, but even more musically
refined.
Colieda continue to plant their seed
with a soundtrack soul, painting unique sounds of art along the way.
With members in school and working, the time together is short, but when
they do, the ambience is astonishing.
The Avery-Set accomplished being
heard in an area where anything new can be put in the backseat in favor
of the mainstream. Their songwriting quality is on par with the greats
and with a little luck; they will be mainstream enough to be a household
word in the area soon.
Rappers 1st Dagree found a touch of
success in the MTV realm. Not to mention a few national tours over the
past year and these guys have been together for years and maybe finally
finding a way out of the Saginaw underground.
New sounds from super-groups emerged once
again with the likes of Serving Chaos, The Olde No. 7 Band,
and the long-time pop-rock kings Radio Therapy and roots rock men
The Beertones, each giving a mix of the old with a twist of the new.
More and more groups have found their strengths in numbers when a few
different groups collide, and any of the mentioned groups are sure to
enlighten anyone with a taste of something different with a high-quality
finish.
Great duos like Noel Howland pairing
up with Dave Kellan make for a musical evening of song-serving
reality and excellence. Honesty & Dean are picking up the duo
slots everywhere, bringing another twist in the singer/songwriter sound.
The Chameleons haven't stopped either, with an acoustic groove
anyone can count on.
The Miscreants, Killshot and
Born have all let it be known that they are very real and plan to
hang around for a while. The hard rock scene has seen many come and go
for years and these three are beyond reliable, original, and noteworthy.
As for the national acts from this area are
concerned, they have maintained well, despite sluggish industry sales
and the fluffy flavor of the months in every style imaginable. Sharrie Williams has spent a better part of the year
touring Europe and teases us locally with gigs at home. Larry McCray
has toured the U.S. again and again, not to mention finally releasing
his first live album, Live On 75 just a few weeks ago.
Robert Bradley has spent the year re-organizing a new line-up and is
starting to record demos for his next release. Dick Wagner made
the move to Arizona back in July and is just getting ready to release
his first solo album of the new decade in the coming months, which we
will be made aware of as it happens.
Here's to a new year with the hopes that
everyone keeps the songs alive, fresh, and can find more venues to
support this incredible art that sustains us here in the Tri-cities.
Honor Roll 2005:
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