It’s been a few weeks since Fun Fest and I’m way behind gathering a few words to describe this year’s GoTriCities Homegrown Showcase and Summer Rock Series on the streets of Kingsport. My apologies to everyone, it’s been very busy since then and lots of media happening. Nevertheless, the delay has left plenty of time to gather together what this event meant for our local music scene and the artists who performed to large crowds in the heat of our muggy July summer in East Tennessee (not to mention a few photos from Sweevie and others).
Working outside in 95plus heat and sweltering humidity is not a pleasant way to spend a Wednesday afternoon, but when it comes to Fun Fest and music, there are no regrets. For the past four years, our company has had the opportunity to host a Homegrown Showcase before thousands who visit Fun Fest and the Taste of the Tri-Cities. This year, we had a rock and roll buffet too and the performances were memorable and the talent was self-evident as we featured four new regional acts; Gretchen, The Only, Ablazing Grace and Pilot.
This was the first year where all the details seemed to fall into place before the July 19th showtime. All of the events, promotion and arrangements seemed to make the event come up without much anxiety. The weather was free from showers and other than an unexpected stage location, everything was on schedule the day of the show.
The relocation of the stage changed the loadins/loadouts for the bands, but we kept rolling with “Plan B’s” all afternoon. Abbi Strickler and Ben Conkin were a tremendous help getting all the details together, but our work was easy compared to the sound/stage crew. Steve Bailey, David Williams and the crew with Abelle Sound Productions were hoisting speakers in the air and setting the stage in the worst of the heat and we sure appreciate their hard work.
Around 4pm, the police closed down Fort Henry Drive and moments after the mixing console made it to the center of the median. The hospitality RV was a little late, but arrived shortly thereafter and then a big, loud Silver Eagle pulled in front of the small crowd that was starting to form and it was obvious something extraordinary was about the happen on the streets of Kingsport.
Gretchen had been on the road for the past couple of weeks. They were in Green Bay, WI the night before and when the doors opened to their bus, it was obvious they had been traveling most of the day, but fresh all the same. Mia and David Richards have been striding the states for the past several months supporting a national tour and we’re excited to hear about their success. Their new modern rock sound is really starting to gather a fan base too and they are pushing the limits this summer in a new road bus (about 10 miles to the gallon).
For the past several years we had hoped to present Gretchen to the Homegrown Stage. We’re proud of their Bristol-based band, but our schedules never worked out. I’m still convinced Mia has the most powerful female rock voice in our region and their enthusiasm and passion about their music is inspiring. They at least three professional recordings, a great video and a merchandising campaign that is clearly top of its game. I’m certain they made more money on product sales than our check for the evening.
I was worried they might not like the lead spot on the stage (most bands despise the first spot), but Fun Fest crowds swell early for the Taste of the TriCities. They seemed unconcerned and after they unloaded their gear from the bus and Steve and the guys set the stage, the 2006 GoTriCities Homegrown Showcase was live androckin’ by seven-o-clock. Gretchen‘s fans quickly rushed the stage and I made my way back to the RV.
Ben was cooking up hotdogs and the fortunately, the air conditioning in the swanky RV was finally starting to work (Thanks David from Kingsport Motors). The Only unpacked their cars along the road and had just settled into our meager accommodations while Gretchen was on stage. Drew, Chris, Nelson and Dave are a fresh perspective on the local music scene and come to the show with excellent songs.
Drew Montgomery writes a lot of the band’s music and together with a his band and I’m gonna give them the ’06 Showcase Style Award. They were pimped out in white and dressed in the latest collection from Betty’s Fashion Exchange in Johnson City .
As the bands started to arrive. Gretchen was playing to a good crowd who came to the stage and obviously lots of fans had shown up for the night just to see their act. It was still hot though and Mia sounded better than ever. The band has sharpened all of their performance and their new drummer made the band have a more confident stage show than any other time I’ve heard them over the past few years.
Ablazing Grace pulled up in their white rock and roll van and as I walked up to the cab, I could see Tom, Pat and Scott packed tight with some speakers. They jumped out onto the grass and we saw Adam Cloninger. He was on his bike with CD’s and flyers. Adam is a rising star in the Tri-Cities as lead vocalist for Pale Orchid . I was surprised, but impressed by his effort and glad to see him to show up at the show.
It’s always good to see friends in the crowd and especially pleased to see Ansley Roberts . There’s no more industrious and personal promoter to the regional music scene. His hair was red tonight, but what caught my attention was the beautiful young lady by his side. Little Tori had a bright colored balloon and seemed excited about all the people and her big brown eyes were like chocolate pools as she stared up at her dad.
Ansley was excited about hearing the lineup tonight too. He has presented most of the bands at his shows in Johnson City and it was great to talk to him about the talent and I was even more pleased to here how things are improving for him over the past several months.
My new musical com padres with Clear were backstage tonight too. Jared Bentley, Lance McCloud along with his wife Heather joined us for their first Fun Fest in quite some time. I’m pretty sure Jared was the initiator of the politics and religious conversations that were going on in the RV.
After Gretchen left the stage, The Only were quick to load in all their stage equipment. In a few moments, I was glad to introduce this original sound from Johnson City. Earlier in the van, Chris had referred to their music as “Indie Rock for the masses” and surprised me when they weren’t really looking for a full time gig – they did talk alot about their families.
The Only were excited to play the Fun Fest show. All of the other bands were appreciative too, but these guys were extremely grateful for the new exposure in Kingsport and they deserved it. Some people were having a hard time placing their music and fashion inside the rock scene, but for me they stand alone as the next generation of potentially great bands to come from the Tri-Cities.
Their performance was crisp, original and full of positive energies. Drew, their lead singer has a voice that crosses bridges with Radiohead and his lyrical poetry is full of hope and promise.
One of things that really stood out to me was the Gretchen street team. As soon as The Only was into their 45-minute set, Mia and David were at their merchandise table and they were swamped for the most of the night selling CD’s and t-shirts. had with regard to this show. It could be the years of performance, but not long after they left the stage, Matt and the folks helping them with their merchandise table were swamped the whole night selling CD’s,tshirts , talking with fans and signing autographs. It really did me good to see fans packed around their table for most of the night and this was something that all musicians should learn. Merchandise will sell itself if you put some effort into it and they certainly did.
The crowds were still surging in front of the Fort Henry Drive stage as The Only ended their set. Steve and the guys with Abelle were doing the best to get us back on schedule. We were late getting started and although there was too little time planned in between sets (starting to get used to that), things never go as planned. Luckily, the guys with Ablazing Grace and Pilot were already planning for this and helped each other with a lightening set change.
it was around 9pm when I announced to the crowd that the sun was setting and as things get darker, the music was going to get a bit…heavier.
Ablazing Grace is one of the region’s newest rock acts and they includes local and national musical heroes from our region. Pat Carter is the frontman for the metal band Omega Tribe and is on the front line for Grace announcing to the audience that their music is about…”killing and drinking.” Sounds threatening indeed, but in the middle of their attitude, you’ll find a sense of irony and sarcasm that works itself into a new attitude of rebelious Southern metal. As I’ve told Tom Bettini, their bass player – Ablazing Grace would be the perfect soundtrack to Deadwood .
Steve Gilbert who used to play with the ghoul-tones was shadowed bu a two Marshall stacks tonight and couldn’t help recall my old friend Derek Helvey who used to describe to me the laws and tenets of the “fine art of excess.” I was glad to see that stacks too because I’ve always wanted to her his volume turned up a bit. He’s a great riff player and it was good to see him take it to the next level. Their serial attitude about this was evident in their quick stage set and somebody had brought two Marshal stacks for Steve Gilbert and that made me happy.
It was right before the Ablazing Grace set that I noticed Lionel Baker in the audience. I hadn’t seen him since the Backdoor Records Days. I’m certain he’s the one I sold my LP collection to back in the 80s when I went through a religious phase (and capitalistic). My collection was a big one too from years in radio with lots of cutt outs. He still has the hippy vibe and evidently, he’s working at the Highway Boutique now. He’s an excellent artist too. Early on, I recall seeing some of the earliest metal and goth art and album rock and unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be turning any work right now.
The heat must have been a little rough on some of the equipment tonight. Tom Bettini‘s bass head went out on stage, but the direct line through the PA had him coming out the main PA. Even Scott’s snare drum busted during the first couple of songs, but the band kept up the pace and never stopped to apologize. Pat roared into the evening with all the rage of a gladiator with the other guys delivering their new original songs with confidence. Considering they have only been working for about three months now, I’m still impressed with one of their new songs called ‘Misery River’cowritten by the band with lyrics from Bettini.
The RV still was the coolest spot to be – not only because of the temperature, but the camaraderie and family culture most these folks were generating. I’m sure there were some attitudes around, after all what could have more attitude than four rock bands, but everyone seemed to be enjoying the show and talking music with some of the acts and fans in the crowd tonight.
It was surprising to see such a strong crowd still in front of the stage during the third act. This year’s show was a much larger crowd from the previous three years. My estimate was the crowd was almost twice as big as it was last year, particularly with the young audience in front of the stage and we had a great closing act with Pilot .
When Pilot started the last set for the night, their music immediately brought the punchy night of music up a whole new level. They opened with one of my favorite songs from a local band ‘Reflections’ and everyone in the band were aloft tonight in an energy that all Pilot. There sound is intelligent hard-core, melodic and nuclear in an infectious way that ushers in an audience like a daydream. Instead of a rough garage band, Pilot is the perfect alchemy of raw talent and modern rock energy that puts them at the top of my list.
Thomas Roark as usual is the humble spirit with black fingernails, but when gets on the microphone and he digs deep to deliver the band’s music, his veins are raised on his shaved forehead with a intensity that makes you trust him as we jump over the edge. Everyone was top of their game too. All the player seemed to be in their own zone and their act was better than ever.
I recently learned that Drew the lead guitarist that replace Dave Shirley is leaving the band to follow a career in the USMC. That’s a loss, but I’m sure they’ve got a strong replacement ready. Drew performed a rockin’ ‘ set with the band and hats off to him for joining with the rest of the corp. This news happens an important time for the band too. Working with Ansley they have got an opening for Shadowwax in Knoxville on Saturday, September 17th at Blue Cats . For me, I’m seriously going to consider a road-trip to support these guys, because they really have got something special.
It’s hard to speak of every nuance of the stage performances (although I try), because I spent a lot of my time negotiating with bands, sound guys and Fun Fest brass about the event for the evening, but I was so thrilled after the last set and felt a great sense of accomplishment for our local effort.
It’s expected that the sound system is off at 11pm to adhere to Kingsport’s noise ordinance and we were right on the money. It didn’t take long to clean up either. The RV was in good shape and most of the food and drinks were loaded into the Jeep minutes after the takedown and we headed over to Tom’s place for a post-party wrap up. The only unfortunate situation was Abbi losing her keys somewhere on the grounds this evening, but luckily someone from The Chamber turned those in the next day.
With all of the sound gear shut down and most of the people leaving, the crickets took over the night and we loaded up the gear and heading to Colonial Heights to share a few cold drinks and talk about the events of the evening. Tom, Pat, Dan, Abbi, and Luke Brogden joined us till the wee-hours of the morning and the only thing that seemed to bring an end to our early morning reverie was a mid-morning shower that sent me back to the house.
This year’s GoTriCities Homegrown Showcase was a tremendous success. Only a few very minor setbacks, but all of the bands put on outstanding performances and showed a solidarity among each other and I’m certain each of them will experience new grades of success in the near future. Special thanks to our sponsors Dr. Enuf, Hardees, Fun Fest, Kingsport Motors and several other individuals who helped to bring this about including Ben, Abbi, Lucy Fleming, Abelle Productions, David Williams, Steve Bailey, David at Kingsport Motors and most of all to the fans and musicians who supported this great local event and we’ll hope to have something extra special next year.