Written by Ty Kellogg
On Saturday night I decided to make the trek from my far east residence and journey to the city lights of downtown Cleveland. More specifically, I went to the Barley House on West 6th to see Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money (TOM) and Red Wanting Blue (RWB).
It was a great day – slight overcast with temperatures in the mid-60s with a light breeze whisking its way in between the buildings of the warehouse district. The stage was set to the left of the Barley House, with a large canopy to cover the general admission audience and a gated section for VIP close to the stage. There clearly was no purpose for the VIP section, as when Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money completed a few warm-ups, the Barley House allowed everyone close to the stage.
Evanchuck and TOM bleeds rock 'n' roll
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Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money
at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
©The Rhythm Report July 2011 |
As Evanchuck strummed the first chords on his original Les Paul, he began to sing. As he sang, the microphone and the cable failed to reproduce his sound. Alas, Evanchuck cut the band and had the engineer fix the ailing vocal cord.
After nearly fifteen minutes, the band revved up its musical engine and peeled out, sending fans into a lush delight and newcomers to a rude rock 'n’ roll awakening.
With a lead guitarist and recently added bass player, the Evanchucks (Tom and Anthony) have added more arsenal to their already destructive musical machine. On songs such as
“Peace of Mind,” “Take Me Back,” and
“Sweet and Fine,” The Old Money took the crowd by the throat and sent them into a foot-stompin’ and rump-shakin frenzy with alternating guitar riffs, a pulsating bass and shattering drums.
The highlight of the set was the band’s single, “Take Me Back.” The crowd was moving and singing along when, all of a sudden, I closed my eyes and heard a good portion of the crowd howl with Tom “ROLL ON,” before the band went on a musical rampage. As the band later left the stage, I caught a glimpse of Evanchuck’s hand, bleeding from several knuckles as a result of pounding his Les Paul into submission.
Follow Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money on
Facebook and Twitter.
Read more on Tom Evanchuck in these Rhythm Report articles:
Also, check out photos of the band's summer festival junket in Ohio in
The Rhythm Report's Facebook albums:
Road-tested RWB's musical maturity eclipses youth
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Source: Red Wanting Blue
Official Store
www.redwantingblue.com |
Next on the bill was the state’s biggest musical road hogs,
Red Wanting Blue (RWB). They calmly set up, tuned one last time and began their set with a very catchy song called
“Gravity.” This was clearly RWB’s crowd, as a majority of the attendees sang and pleaded every word to every song presented. But the band has an unusual, genuine approach to its live performances.
In comparison to many rock bands on the circuit, Red Wanting Blue is older, mature and road-tested. They have played shows all over the lower 48 states, have seen their friends’ bands come and go, and have seen their fan base gradually expand. The band does not romp around on stage like their youthful counterparts. Rather, the men are stationary and complacent in their roles. The difference is that the band watches and looks upon their lead singer, Scott Terry, as he stomps, claps, fist-pumps and bellows to the skies.
What separates Terry’s stage presence from other frontmen is his genuine behavior. He doesn’t have flashy moves. He isn’t mysterious or overwhelmingly sexual, nor does he come across as a greater-than-thou pompous ass. As he stood on the stage monitor with his arms curling the invisible burdens of the crowd, he tilted his head back, eyes to the sky and mouth wide open, and sang along with the crowd, “I feel like drinking whiskey and getting high. It’s the same old thing every Saturday night!” After this performance, I firmly believe that Terry is Ohio's best frontman in the state's current musical era.
Both bands offer something unique to Ohio and the Midwest. They are both incredibly driven, talented and not just likeable but addicting. They both encompass the persistent, gritty, soulful simplicity of the state, and they offer something that is hard to find in music – hope. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or musical preference, these two bands are providing a reason for Ohioans to believe in the music scene once again.
Follow Red Wanting Blue on Facebook and Twitter.
Watch Red Wanting Blue in this Rhythm Report post: Video – Red Wanting Blue performs live at Musica
