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.

Chaotic Resemblance/Invade (Official Video)

KILLING GRACE - 17 Scars picture video

Killing Grace CD Release Party

I remember when I first saw Killing Grace.  They were in the lineup for a show in late September at Open Chord.  I had never heard of them nor their music.  For a band to be a stranger in a town, never having been to a certain venue, not knowing anyone or how the audience is going to respond, if they're going to want them to come back, can be a little unsettling.  

It took only one night, only one show, to become a fan, to support this band, so much so I wanted them back soon. To read my review of that show, here is the link http://allthingshardrock.blogspot.com/2015/09/transparent-soul-belfast-six-pack.html

They have since released their CD and are currently on a CD release tour.  There were many places in this region they could have chosen; Knoxville, TN, was one of their first.  I could not wait to see them.  In that way, I could once again capture the energy coming from this band.  

To get things started was Victims of Euphoria.  They say it's never too late to start anything.  Well, the same is true about never starting too early.  Victims of Euphoria is a five-piece band, and to my knowledge, some, if not all, of the members are not any older than 21.  Not only that, but the lead vocalist (Adara Draven), the lead guitarist (Jasper Haze), and the bass player (Xandra Haze) are all females.  

I remember casually seeing them almost two years ago at a benefit concert.  It was after their set someone told me about their young age.  I was floored.  I was even more so when I saw them on Friday night.  Adara Draven has a broad range of vocals appropriate for metal that is very well-trained.  Though the band doesn't play the genre, she is capable of singing lead in a symphonic metal band.  It was music to my own ears to alternately hear a more operatic tone and screaming coming from her. 

The passion and chemistry were both palpable coming from the band.  Draven said her favorite song they played was "You Fall."  And I have a favorite:  "My People"-because Victims of Euphoria has become that to me.

Next up:  Killing Grace.  Like the first time I saw them, they kept me guessing about what their show was going to be like.  I knew it was going to be a great one.  Being fired up about a "brand-spankin' new" CD will do that.  This show was even better than the first.  What made the difference?  Fog, the lights....and a lot of killer songs, not the least of which is "Sin Again Sunday" to kick off their set, "Revolution," and "Nobody's Hero." No Killing Grace set during this tour would be complete without ""17 Scars"," and without lead singer Matt Edmonson telling at least some part of the story of how that one song made their success skyrocket. 

Over the past few years, I have been to a lot of shows, sometimes within a short time of each other.  Somewhere in all this time, I may have seen Divided We Stand.  If I had to guess the show, it was the Gig It Fest, August 2014, in Morristown, TN.  And I remember liking them.  However, after that, I never saw them or heard their music, only saw their name in passing.  A few days prior to the show, I listened to their music on Reverbnation. One of the songs that got my attention-I cued it up twice for good measure-was "Saboteur".  While everyone was banging their head or raising their hands in a "horns-up" to all of these bands' music, including Divided We Stand, it seemed to be even more so during this one song.  From there on out, it got the audience's attention.

Sinful Lilly Guilty Wicks Zombie Walk 08-29-14