MSMF 2005 Band Review

    
SomeOne Else

Kicking off the day’s festivities was none other than local New York Natives – SomeOne Else.  Now, being a long time fan and friend of this band, I can honestly say that I have never seen them perform better.  Their Bluesy/Hard Rock Kick Back to the days of good true music is a breath of fresh air.  And adding a classic Metallica cover to the mix knocks them up a notch even then some.  Playing tighter than ever, SomeOne Else welcomed the crowd of the 1^st Annual MS Music Fest with a screaming resort of Rock N’ Roll at its finest.  They opened as a headliner and ended their set with the following bands having quite a task at hand to follow them.

 
IRONHORSE

East Coast Legends, and twenty some odd years in the mix, Dino Rocco, Tony D’Antuono, and John Christie took the stage playing a set full of Rock N’ Roll Anthems that lit the place on fire! Paying homage to some of their heroes and influences, IRONHORSE performed a special set full of some of their favorite songs ranging from The Eagles to Crosby, Stills, & Nash, to an unforgettable version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” with an all star cast of rock enthusiasts, fans, musicians, and singers for the day on stage for an all out jam.  James Rucker of Gear topped off the performance with his Southern Bled true Lead Vocals.  IRONHORSE kept the crowd on their feet and showed us all what a true rock band is all about.    

 
Gear

 Rolling in like a freight train, straight from Alabama, Gear won over the Music Fest with their pulsating rhythms, screaming guitars, and overbearing vocals.  Drenched in sweat from the unbearable sun, the band blasted through an array of heavy metal originals that are sure to gaze the eardrums of fans of metal near and far.  Expressing the talents of real musicians, their set was chalk full of double bass, shredding guitar solos, and even an unexpected cover of “Halo” from a very awesome band known as Soil.  Staying true to their word, Gear left an impression on New York that won’t soon be forgotten.  They gave 110% of themselves and left the crowd wanting more.  Will the crowd get more from Gear next year at MSMF 2006? Only time will tell… 

 
Thunderbrew

From start to finish, their presence could not be denied.  Thunderbrew came from Delaware and made everyone on Staten Island wonder what they put in the water over there.  Exploding through a set of songs from their debut album “Red Death” which sold over 1,000 copies independently, and their brand new album entitled “Red, White, and Brew”, Thunderbrew had the crowd in the palm of their hands with their impressive talent and musicianship and their awesome on-stage show of endurance.  With blazing guitar solos that made guitar players throughout the audience’s jaws drop, the band gave a full throttle assault of hard rock and heavy metal music to a crowd who kept asking for more.  And perhaps best of all, at early word, it seems as though these boys are coming back for more next year.  Get Ready New York!

The brother duo successfully changed this opened outdoor event to an intimate bar setting when they pulled out their acoustic guitars and began to play. The Infinite Staircase includes the New York locals Lenny and Jeff Cerzosie. The two were able to hold their own among an electric band line up and did so with ease. Their set-list included a combination of originals along with covers, which included bands like Guns and Roses, The Rolling Stones and Ozzy Osbourne.

 
The Hiwatts

What can I say? They made a huge commitment, and just like everyone else they delivered ten-fold.  One of the most amazing and mesmerizing performances I have ever witnessed in my life, and they even included me and other lucky fans in on all of the fun.  (See pictures to see what I mean)  Kicking off their set with “Amedia”, a political and emotionally and morally charged song off of their debut album “The Possibility of Being” (also the first song on the MSMF 2005 Compilation CD); The Hiwatts leveled the audience with a highly energetic, melodically engulfed entourage of songs stemming from Kevin Martin’s debut with Multi-Platinum Rock Band Candlebox, to the current and future realeses of The Hiwatts, and even some classic rock favorites of the band ranging from Pink Floyd to AC/DC and even a mirage of brilliantly placed “Voodoo Chile” from Jimi Hendrix in the midst of one of Candlebox’s biggest hits “Far Behind.”  Kevin’s voice sounds stronger and more powerful than ever, and he has surrounded himself with possibly the best line-up of musicians to date.  When you see The Hiwatts live you learn exactly why guitar player Space is called Space; and I mean that in the best of ways.  There are few guitar players who can really make their instrument speak, and Space goes a step further and makes his guitar SING! T-Bone, Adam, and Colin round out the band with an extremely impressive array of musical chops and a rhythm section any musician or band would kill for.  They left the crowd of all ages smiling from ear to ear and even took time to sign autographs and help announce raffles.  The Hiwatts did what no other band of their stature would do for us, and they did it better than anyone could ever dream of.  For that and so much more we thank them and hope that they will be back again next year.