THE STEEPWATER BAND—Chicago, IL
I know this band is not from North Jersey, but it was handed across my desk and they’re actually performing in Jersey and New York this week. So, now, they’re going to get some Tri-State love because I really dig what I heard. The name of the band is The Steepwater Band and I love their sound! Yeah, it’s not hard rock, but more of a Black Crowes and Blackberry Smoke meet The Beatles. I got to listen to the band’s latest release, Shake Your Faith, which they released back in April, and there seriously is not a bad song on this CD. The ones that stood out for me, however, were “Mama Got to Ramble,” the title track “”Shake Your Faith,” “Ain’t Got Love” and my favorite “Be As It May,” but as I said, every song on this CD is pretty great!
According to their bio, The Steepwater Band formed in the windy city of Chicago back in 1998 with a signature sound that tips its hat to early British blues, combining it with a modern, raw and gutsy musical approach. The Steepwater Band was formed by singer and guitarist Jeff Massey, bassist Tod Bowers and drummer Joe Winters, whose chemistry comes from years of performing together. In early 2012, the band, who was typically a trio, expanded to a quartet with the addition of guitarist Eric Saylors, who brought much-needed depth to the band’s live sound. The Steepwater Band might have gotten their start as devotees of delta blues, but they have since expanded their sound absorbing influences from the psychedelia genre to Americana and from jazz to ’50s rock ‘n’ roll. Within the last 18 years, The Steepwater Band has averaged about 140 shows per year, including tours with acts like Gov’t Mule, Buddy Guy, Wilco, ZZ Top, Drive-By Truckers, Cheap Trick, Bad Company and Heart.
As I said earlier, The Steepwater Band released their latest CD, Shake Your Faith, back in April, which they have been vigorously promoting on the road. They hit our shores this week with a show tonight (8/3) at the Mercury Lounge in NYC and a show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on Friday night (8/5). You have to check these cats out! I might! For more on The Steepwater Band, visit SteepwaterBand.com, where you can also check out the video for their song “Break.”
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My brothers from Causticaudio will be performing their first show of 2016 at this year’s FrogFest in Parsippany, NJ on Saturday, September 10. The festival, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, will also feature other great bands like Bluesfield Drive, The Dirty Stayouts, Ken Morgan, The Test Band and many more. For more info on this show and Causticaudio, visit Facebook.com/Caustiaudiomusic.
Looks like my bud George Becker got his band Jaded Past back up and running with a brand new and improved lineup, a brand new label in MelodicRock Records and a brand new CD called Believe produced by none other than my bro Steve Brown from Trixter. I got to hear a track called “Tattered” and it wasn’t bad. It’s just a good rock song! George will debut his new lineup featuring guitarist Scott LaFlamme from Bang Tango, bassist Jason Cornwell from Eric Martin Band and Mr. Big and drummer Rob LaFlamme on August 13 at Paul’s Tavern’s Freedom Festival in Lake Como, NJ. George said it will be Jaded Past’s only show of 2016, so you might not want to miss it. For more info on Jaded Past, visit JadedPast.com.
And finally, my band Rahway will be returning to the Jersey shore this Thursday night (8/4) as we open the night for Robbery Inc. featuring Robb Torres from TRAPT, at the Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ. Also performing that night will be our brothers from Sekond Skyn, who will be performing a slew of new songs off of their upcoming new CD. This should be an amazing show! Plus, Rahway returns to the Jersey shore! For more info, visit Rahwayband.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
8/3—The Steepwater Band—Mercury Lounge, NYC
8/4—Rahway/Sekond Skyn/Robbery Inc.—Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/4—Vengeance/Nihilanth/Monitor/Less Than Ruined/Dead City Crown—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/5—Common Wealth/Ropetree/Bush/Chevelle—Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
8/5—Brand of Julez—NIHIL Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
8/5—Seas of Wake/Fear Factory—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
8/6—The Steepwater Band—Maxwell’s Tavern, Hoboken, NJ
8/6—“Jersey Campfires Productions Presents” Stillphase/Spiral Scar/Phntms/Off The Turnpike/Sinerti—The Boneyard, Atlantic City, NJ
8/6—Brand of Julez—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
8/10—Negative Sky/Refused/Deftones—Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
8/11—Mother/Diablo Royale reunion—Drom, NYC
8/11—Abandoned By Bears/Save The Lost Boys/Southview—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/11—New Day Dawn/Baelfire/Steve Bello/Lita Ford—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
8/12—Islander/XXI/Among Us—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
8/12—Kings of Damnation/Born of Scars/Unrelenting Force/Bloodwork—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/13—Nalani and Sarina—Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA
8/13—Seas of Wake/Binary Code/Voodoo Terror Tribe/Patterns of Decay—The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
8/13—Arc’d Angel/Damn Glad/The Primadonnaz/The Dead Flowers/Cardiac—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/17—Windfaerer/Eikthyrnir/Xenophile/Fiakra/Galare—Meatlocker, Montclair, NJ
8/17—Nalani and Sarina—The Bitter End, NYC
8/18—Darren Deicide/Jauncey/Silo/The Poison Apples/Entierralos—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/20—Eternal Black/Tarpit Boogie/Doperider/Heavy Coughin’/Deth Kaktus—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/21—Eels Of Love/Triple Scoop/Canopy Veil/Planetary Alignment/Replicant/Sycarian/Sleepless Empire—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
