Fort Defiance at the Blue Plate Special

"I'd like to go to the Blue Plate Special some time," I had kept saying week in and week out.  The Blue Plate Special is a live show in downtown Knoxville, TN, at the WDVX headquarters. But I rarely get around to going there.

I guess it took having Fort Defiance, and cold late-March weather, to play there for me to go.  Led by Jordan Eastman, with his newlywed wife Laurel, they played for a packed house.  For those of you who don't know Jordan, the best way to sum him up in a nutshell:  Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and Johnny Cash-all in one young man.  Before he met Laurel, and she started playing with him, he was a solo artist.  Being only one man didn't stop him from playing music on stage as if there were a whole band.  He plays guitar and harmonica with some rich, sweet sounds emanating from both.  Add to that a box he stands on; with his boots, his left foot taps a tambourine.  To describe him as a multi-talented musician (which for all intents and purposes, he is) would be an understatement.

The songs in Jordan Eastman's solo career, and their titles, are complex, abstract, but rich and deep in meaning and musical talent.  If you recall a song called "Baby, Don't Hooked on Me,"  some of his songs have a similar theme.  This is the one thing that stands out in my mind about them.  As can be expected, when he meets someone not only to be in a band with him, but also to spend the rest of his life with, the choice of songs changes.

I'll never experience for myself a Johnny and June Carter Cash show.  Seeing some of them on TV at times, I notice the chemistry between them.  Jordan and Laurel have recreated that with their songs and stage presence.  Not only was Jordan on a box, but Laurel was, too.  In fact, at one point, they were in step with each other as they sang and played.

The other band that was supposed to play for this noontime special cancelled at the last minute.  To me, that only meant I, and everyone else there, could enjoy more of their music-and to clap their hands and stomp their feet in time to the music.  In the middle of their set, the radio hostess Red Hickey interviewed them.  I had an opportunity to learn the story of the boxes and the tambourine.  The tambourine Jordan used was his 6th one, which was holding up well. 

Later that night, they had a show at the Preservation Pub in downtown Knoxville. 

Sinful Lilly interview with Jullia Pope from All Things Hard Rock

Killing Grace, Shadowed Self, and Reign Like Rain at the Bowery

I love surprises!  I got one from Killing Grace this past Saturday:  an originally unscheduled night at the Bowery.  Needless to say, I had to go, as if it were almost required of me.  I didn't know what was going on and why until a few hours before I got there.  They had an exciting announcement:  They had signed a new contract with Red Arrow Records.  And of all the places they have played at for this tour, they chose Knoxville, TN.   It was an honor not only to see them again, and to be able to celebrate with them in this victory.  This goes to show you they celebrate the smallest of things.

I also wanted to check out the two other bands opening up for them.  Reign Like Reign was the first one up.  For those of you who have never been at the Bowery in Knoxville, TN, the best feature regarding the acoustics is the vibrations you can feel either on the floor or in the seats.  They had a new song called "Second Stage."  That was the song where I felt those vibrations.  

Reign Like Rain

The vibes (for a lack of better words) continued when Shadowed Self came up next.

Shadowed Self

Again, this was another band I hadn't heard of or seen.  What band member did I get the "vibes" (in more ways than one) from?  Brandon Rice, the bass player.  This guy had green strings on his bass.  Green strings!  So help me God, they were green!

Brandon Rice, bassist of Shadowed Self

Not only that, but the expressions on his face really stood out to me...and most may have been captured on pictures. This was the best one I could take the other night.

Shadowed Self doesn't take themselves too seriously.  Lead singer C J Asburn, at one time, asked the audience, "Anyone wanna kick off a song for us?"  I couldn't imagine what one-liners the audience could think of.  But it was their way of leading into "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor."  It's a catchy line; I'll be able to remember this next time I see them.

What I like about seeing Killing Grace this time was they were the headliners.  What this meant to me was the best, my personal favorite, was saved for last.  I also would experience something I hadn't before in the two other times I had seen them.  The band went deep into the details of the stories and inspiration behind many of their songs, two of which were "17 Scars" and "No Soul."  "17 Scars" is about lead singer Matt Edmondson's father serving in two wars, and bearing the many scars from them. "No Soul" is the song they consider their deepest and darkest song.  It is about those in their lives who have brought about major disappointments.

The band now considers Knoxville, TN, as "home away from home."  I'm happy they feel that way.  If I do say do myself, that allowed them to go as deep as they did with their music, and with the relationships they have made with fans and members of other bands.