If you haven’t heard the rumors on the street about Virginia Ground … you will!
Reagan Boggs recently told me about a band she performed with in Damascus, Va., at the Old Mill. She’s performing an acoustic set throughout the Tri-Cities and had rave comments about a new band she appeared with that had a mop-topped singer and plenty of supportive fans.
The Old Mill regularly features the best roots music around and attracts young and old hippies alike at the restaurant/venue by the river in Damascus. It’s a great place to be on the weekend and home for Virginia Ground.
They began the group in the spring of last year and are attracting crowds everywhere with their spicy blend of Appalachian music peppered with a dash of newgrass, a pinch of rock and soul and plenty of adrenaline that leaves you wanting another helping.
Some people call them a jam band while others prefer Appalachian funk. You’ll hear references to Acoustic Syndicate, Goose Creek, Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler too. Whatever you call them you can’t ignore the talent and the acoustic chemistry these five friends and brothers bring to the stage.
Virginia Ground is making their way into Tennessee. A couple of weeks ago, I caught their show at The Vinyard across from the Bristol Mall on Highway 58. This venue is featuring live music every night of the week now and attracting great shows too.
Joy Rudder and her staff have worked the past several months to completely renovate this restaurant/stage and as a club owner, she’s confident in her description of the band when she utters the word … “energetic.”
When we walked into the crowded restaurant I was surprised to hear a blues harmonica squeezing its way above the room. Perhaps I suspected a banjo or fiddle, but when Ben Smith plays his harmonica for Virginia Ground, you can’t help but hear a little Blues Traveler and John Popper’s signature style.
As Ben reeled in the final notes of his solo and pulled back his harp, he sang into the mic and was joined by a rich four-part harmony that you seldom hear from a young band. Along with their singing voices, their act between songs is quite entertaining too with plenty of bohemian mountain humor.
Jamen Denton is the lead vocalist and songwriter. He also plays a driving acoustic guitar that steers the band in and out of one danceable tune to another. He’s got a terrific, distinct voice and led the group performing tunes by Little Feat, The Band, Johnny Cash, Gershwin, Dylan and more. I was pleasantly surprised to hear them recreate their own versions of several songs including “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
Virginia Ground’s original music stands toe-to-toe with the great classic covers they perform from the stage. I bought a copy of their first original CD and each track is truly a classic in the making. The songs are compelling — worth playing over and over and the lyrics and music are surprisingly mature for their first effort. With a logo on the cover reminiscent of the “Virginia is For Lovers” campaign the songs move from the rowdy pace of “Wreckless Man” to a lounge groove in “Uptown Downtown” and sultry white boy soul in the heart of “Back to You.”
He calls it a “Bull Fiddle.” That’s the name on the CD Josh Young uses to describe his upright bass. It’s a key component to the groove of this band and his hyper stage presence is a catalyst for Jamen’s brother, Justin Denton on drums. Together they lace a rhythm section that makes it real hard to stand still.
Backstage I had a chance to meet the band and something that stands out is the timing for this group. You can feel it in front of the stage and you can feel it one on one. These guys are celebrating the best of times and the fate of their union may have begun in Stickleyville, Va.
Jamen and Justin’s parents are ministers at a Methodist church in Scott County and they relocated to the mountains from Chicago. I met them back stage and was envious of their joy for each other and their pride in their sons. It’s obvious they are supportive parents and their presence added a rich family element between sets.
All the guys are from Southwest Virginia and have a lot to look forward to. Their second set was even better than the first and if you’re lucky enough to get a new CD, you’ll be likely to pass it around like I did because they’re that darn good! I passed it along to people at work who made a copy and just the other day, I heard a young woman talking about this great new band. She was in her 20s and I was surprised again to hear the name Virginia Ground.
You can catch the band this weekend on State Street in Bristol at The State Line Bar and Grill and several other locations in Tennessee during February and March. If you’re looking for something fresh and want to warm up with some fun, gather your friends and join the new tradition of roots music from this local talent in Virginia Ground.
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David Cate is director of new media for the GoTriCities Network.