The Woodstone Deli brings up lots of stories. I had friends who worked there in high school when it was closer to the Dam. Even though my memory is a little foggy now, I’m certain that my wife from several years ago convinced me to stop by there for a “Kitchen Sink” after our elopement.
The Woodstone has changed names over the years and now it’s back – better than ever and Ron Arnold the owner thinks if they can make it through through the “slow summer,” they’ll have a great year. That’s when football makes it way back on to the big-screen, but the Woodstone has become a lighthouse for local bands and last weekend, the heat of the Fun FestMardi Gras party in downtown had me longing for a cold one.
There’s a lot going on around the region on the weekends now. Blue Rapture was playing Music on the Square in Jonesborough with belly dancers and The Down Home was cooking with Webb Wilder and lots of other music happening here in the middle of the summer.
Jared Bentley called from Johnson City and said it was pouring rain and the outdoor gig in Jonesborough might be a washout, so we opted for a local appearance by Ablazing Grace at The Woodstone and we are even more impressed with their crusade to bring hard rockin’ original songs roaring with metal, but ready for airplay.
The first thing on my mind was the beer and it was quick and cold. Phil Davis was drifting in and out of tables, cables and knobs to get the mix ready for the band. They were sitting next to the window and Tom Bettini introduced me to Pat, Scott and Steve. Our first meeting was several weeks back at Gatsby’s, but it was nice to see them in a more relaxed state as their wives were with them at the table.
They’ve got a great cheeseburger at Woodstone. After that first beer, I couldn’t help myself as I thought about the Kitchen Sink, but someone suggested the cheeseburger and I’m glad I did.
It was sticky hot in the Woodstone tonight and the smoke from the pool room floated through the bar. Jared came in a few minutes later and we talked about the band. He works with Phil in Johnson City and I was glad he was hanging out for the show.
It’s always good to see local players supporting each other and Adam, prettynoose and RedEyes, it was good to talk to you and glad you shared the show because it was great and it’s surprising to watch this new band blend the best of four great players and sift out a new sound that’s all their own.
Pat Carter is 6 foot 7. You don’t look at him either. You look up. It was cool to see him without the baseball cap too. We’re all in agreement that he has one of the Tri-Cities most daring voices with power and range. The band kicked off their first single, “Five on the Floor” and he weaves back and forth like a wolf only to stop for a little eye-to-eye when he mentions, ” our songs are about killin,’ and drinkin.”
Nah. He’s not totally serious. The band plays lumbering riffs that are dark and I’ve come to the conclusion the last time I saw them that they would make the perfect soundtrack for Deadwood. Steve Gilbert’s guitar has big Tarantino notes and although he’s no shredder, his approach to the guitar is critical to the band’s music. Sometimes you can play too many notes and it gets a little blurry, but Steve is crafty with his rhythms that balance the band and his work with the harmonica adds a interesting dimension to their sound. I would have like to have heard him turned up a bit too…
It’s union of players is nothing producing anything obscure. It’s a seductive recipe of energy, agreesion and attitude – the trifecta of rock if you well. There are plenty of devices of outlaws and hard and fast living riveted into this new band, but what they write will appeal to a large cross section of both metal, southern rock and hard country fans.
Pat and Scott (the drummer) have played together for a long time and have plenty of other fans of their metal band from Bristol named Omega Tribe. That’s a name knowm from here to Morristown and although Ablazing Grace has a life of its own, they continue to turn up the pressure with a pure metal sound and plan reunions later this fall, but for now, they weld a powerful metal background into the well-oiled machinery from bassist Tom Bettini from Colonial Heights.
Everyone knows that Tom’s a great bassist – another local player that continues to give of himself to many bands in the area. Together with his new friends from Omega Tribe and the Ghoultones, they’ve brought together an interesting band and their original songs are truly memorable.
My favorite which is available on their MySpace site used to be ‘Rusty Pistol’. They wrote this with a former guitarist, but my mind has changed. While I was talking to Lisa Bettini about the band that night during their first set, Pat drifted into the dark recesses of alcoholism with a new song called ‘Misery River’. “I was baptized in Misery River…” Pat howls through this song and it’s probably the best original song I’ve heard in some time. Can’t wait to hear that one again.
Ablazing Grace was supposed to play last tonight, but the opening band had to cancel so they went first. That was cool with me though. I was wearing thin after a day at Fun Fest and although I was interested in hearing the next band ‘Rusted Clean,’ I was ready to go about midnight.
The guys told me outside that Ablazing Grace sort of came together on its own as they were trying to regroup players for Bristol Rhythm Roots last year and to their surprise they have almost created a new gathering of fans who like the music that is coming from this new band and it will be interesting to see where this will carry them over the next several months as they perform at Fun Fest and many other rooms in the Tri-Cities. If you like your music in the wild and the smell of blood doesn’t bother you, you’ll appreciate the creative energy from this new local act.