Here’s the music we got to see at the Steel Bridge Songfest. And a little bit of Brenda the music critic. The photos were about the best I could do with the lighting. Which you will hear more about later. Also, I like jam bands, so some of this music isn’t quite what I would listen to, so just cuz I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean the musicians weren’t talented. And, I give credit to anyone who will get up there and play in front of others, I’m sure I wouldn’t be any better.
Boheme ’66 (Madison, WI)
They sounded a little muddy to me, wasn’t sure what it was. The lead singer had a good voice, but he did this weird heavy breathing thing that wasn’t attractive. However, I forgave him since from time to time, he reminded me of Warren Haynes (vocally) from time to time. I wanted the bass player to move just a little, instead of standing there like a statue. Overall, they played “songs” which you know, liking jam band music, I sometimes find annoying. At times they had a bit of a punk feel to them. Not the best band I’ve ever seen, but they sounded fine. The sound system was working out the kinks as it was the first band of the weekend. (Rob was helping run sound with Mark Weber of Pressure Wall Productions.) Since there was no lighting guy this year, Rob was also filling in for that, when he wasn’t running the stage sound.
Abnormal Cattle (Sister Bay, Wi)
They describe themselves as “Angry Nerd Rock” and were apparently annoyed by a blogger calling them Punk, but that’s what I’d call them. They had the kinda flat punk rock screaming voice down perfect. There was a little bit of the 80’s pre-grunge Cure/Violent Femmes sound to them as well, but it was really best described as punk. They seemed pretty tight and as musicians they were on it. I just don’t like that style of music and it’s the type of stuff I veto on the iPod shuffle game. They complained of the lights being too much, they said they felt like they were having a seizure. I can understand why they said that. But really, it seemed a bit odd to announce that from the stage, and it totally made them decidedly NOT punk rock. And when they played the Tom Petty cover song, that is when I understood the Nerd rock.
Geri X (Atlanta Georgia)
Wally Ingram
Chris Aaron
My favorite of the evening. I even bought the CD. The drummer was playing with them and didn’t really know their songs, but you’d have never known it. The drummer was Wally Ingram who has played with bands like, someone you might have heard of, U2. This was the second woman on stage of the 10 musicians, which is impressive since you see so few women on stage. She had on of those voices that could have either been too nasally or too barbie doll, but it wasn’t, it was strangely compelling. She had lots of friends come up, including Pat mAcdonald (I think) and Chris Aaron as well as Eric McFadden and others. I liked several of the songs including Ghost Face and Blackbird and some circus like sounding song. Like I said, my favorite of the evening.
Eric McFadden & Friends
Pat mAcdonald
Some of the same folks we’ve already heard played with Eric McFadden and he’d already been on stage. It was good music, sometimes hard driving rock, sometimes a little punk sounding (if I dare to use that word) but overall talented and good to listen too, they could have played a few more hours and it would have been fine with me.
Bands are loading in for the second night here at the Ladder House as we speculate if it is going to rain tomorrow and if they will be running sound here all day tomorrow instead of enjoying the outside festivities, That will be a long day for the sound/light guys I’m here with (10 am – 3 am)
