It’s been quiet on the local music scene lately. It’s a New Year of change too. Familiar bands are either calling it quits or morphing into new acts that are still in rehearsal. Other than the work by regional promoter Ansley Roberts it’s the new bands here in the TRI who are making the news in the opening scenes from 2007.The holidays are usually quiet for everyone too as we hold close to family and friends, but now that we’re well into the New Year we caught two new bands taking center stage this past weekend – T.H.O.R. and Hot Carl!
I’ll talk about Carl later, but this past Friday we celebrated Abbi’s 20th birthday at Contrabass in Johnson City and on the way back home, there it was…the green metal machine – low like a predator and sneaking into the night toward The Woodstone Deli. I remembered a post on The Buzz that T.H.O.R. was playing so we decided to follow the scent for some new music.
The Woodstone was busy! We had to park in one of the overflow parking lots and walked into this local sports bar in Kingsport – thick with smoke. You won’t find a non-smoking section at The Woodstone and the smoke wasn’t just from second hand tobacco. For the first time in a long time, a fog machine was belching out columns of white smoke like the days of arena rock. That’s right. And it couldn’t be more appropriate for the band T.H.O.R. – The History of Rock.
Gary and Guy Bortz are familiar names in the Kingsport music scene. They have performed with a ladder of bands for two more than three decades now. Gary worked for Jeff Hashbarger at Morrell Music for many years and his skills include art and music. He plays electric guitar for T.H.O.R., but you’ve probably noticed his work more often roadside. His artwork identifies many of the region’s entertainment venues and his sign work and murals have turned heads over the years. His work is lots of places, but my favorite is the paintings at The Hog Wild in Kingsport. I hadn’t seen Gary in more than a decade and like me he’s getting thin on top and I really wasn’t that surprised to see him dressed in shiny black vinyl pants and ripping guitar riffs with his brother Guy.
I’ve heard plenty of stories about guitarist/vocalist Guy Bortz and know him well from his landscape work at Evergreen and his own company Plant Boy. Derek Helvey used to speak of him often and until this past weekend, I’d never heard him sing or play. His Spartan appearance and rock presence are commanding on stage too. Together with his brother and Terry Hobbs, bass and vocals, and Ralph Bowen, drums, their new band has lots of potential to grab the attention of lots of classic metal fans. They have a combustible show and proudly deliver a lexicon of memorable rock songs from “the history of rock.”
Earlier in the evening, we were listening to an old Thin Lizzy song on WQUT. This is one of the many influential bands from Dublin and are noted as one of the first bands to popularize the double-lead guitar solo and that’s one thing that really stands out about T.H.O.R.. Brothers Gary and Guy are talented players who know how to turn up their amps and slash the best guitar riff music you can remember and together, like any family act, their voices and their skill on guitar were hauntingly complimentary. Family affairs are always unique and together these guys are culturing an entertaining act which will probably earn them a spot on many of the region’s stages.
There was a good turnout for the Woodstone at this show and lots of support by local musicians. I’m always impressed by players who support other bands. Over the years, I’ve met many musicians who have lofty personal goals. Suspended in their own world, they rarely support the efforts of friends and neighbors and I always like to give credit to those who still like coming out to share the music.
Among new faces on the scene this evening, I met Richard Wagner. He plays guitar and sings for the band Altered State. It was one of those synscronistic moments too because earlier in the day, I was perusing his personal blog and there he was. He introduced me to his brother Rob and his dad Rick. I was surprised to hear that all three of them were playing in the band. They are among the newest “family” bands and we had a good time getting to know each other and sharing local acquaintances/friends and players including Dave Burton, Dave Cook, Jim Lane and David Riggs – better known as Kids our Age.
Terry McCoy with Sober Otis/10,000 Flames was at the Woodstone tonight with his wife Jane. Travis Christian, local blues phenom (why aren’t you playing Travis) was hanging out later in the night and my old buddy Tom was telling stories well into the night.
Phil Davis was on the sound-board tonight and it’s hard not to compliment him on the rockin’ sound he was getting out of his PA tonight. He’s one of the famed Soundpranos in the region and when it comes to Rock and Roll, Phil Davis is the best at creating a thick, dark militia of sound reinforcement and welded a shiny metallic thunder for T.H.O.R..
I did mention the fog machine didn’t I? The leather pants? T.H.O.R. has a hot light show too that rocks with the band’s energy and if catch their show, you’ll appreciate a eclectic list of great early-metal covers from everything between AC/DC to Kiss to Wasp and Don Felder (remember Heavy Metal?). It’s a baby-boomers greatest high-school memory and The History of Rock is certain to play near you, so break out the leather jacket, black t-shirts and don’t miss these guys next time they roll their van into your neighborhood.
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