Rebel Amish Radio Live!

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REBEL AMISH RADIO / MARGRET HEATER /
SEV / SPINE

Daytona's; Pasadena, Maryland; 10/28/99

As Fall begins and the colder weather begins to descend on Earth, it's the perfect time to seek warmth in the local clubs and watch local musical talent heat things up.

Spine opened the show with their keen crossover blend of eclectic hip-hop flavored heavy rock. Spine goes for the jugular no matter whether on stage or in the studio. Spine has replaced their keyboard/samples player for another vocalist; the dual vocalist attack is certainly an "in" thing to do, but Spine pulls it off with two very different vocal styles. My personal favorite, "X-Generation," was played with great fanfare. Special highlight of the Spine set was watching Jennifer Arroyo play an impressive bass guitar throughout the entire set.

Visit Spine's website at http://www.spinedc.com for more information.

SEV, with amazing stage presence, brought a 311-flavored sound to the stage. Whereas Spine is relentless in their approach, SEV can range from laid back to crushing. Yet another band with two vocalists, SEV take the hi-lo approach with one vocalist that focuses on more melodic parts while the other vocalist handles the majority of the loud shouts and screams. When SEV slows down they allow their songs to breathe; this is when the funk is heard. SEV covered Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" with aplomb; in a manner not unlike Limp Bizkit's treatment of "Faith," SEV laid to waste the pop conventions of this '80s classic. It's not hard to see why SEV appeal to younger fans of heavy music.

Visit SEV's website at http://one.netjammer.com/~sevupdate/ for more information.

Margret Heater, originally formed in North Carolina and now calling Baltimore home, is a quartet that will make Ultraspank and Deftones shake in their boots someday. It seems that most bands are covering '80s classic tunes these days; Margret Heater was no exception by covering Depeche Mode's "Break The Silence." Once Margret Heater figures out that it is unnecessary to follow current trends (face paint ala Limp Bizkit and System Of A Down), cop the moves of Deftones, and scream all the time this act may just create a name for themselves. Margret Heater will be entering the studio in November to make their first full-length CD.

Visit Margaret Heater's website at http://www.margretheater.com/ for more information.

Rebel Amish Radio owned the joint with charismatic stage appeal, heavy soul, and deep grooves. This ain't toe-tapping music; this is foot stompin' music. The groove takes hold and your body starts moving involuntarily.

Rebel Amish Radio played a number of songs from their debut CD including "Typical," "Pain," and "Won't Go Away." Strong material from their sophomore effort did not disappoint. The smoldering slow burn R&B/funk of "See Who I Am" gave George Bold a chance to really lay down some tasty guitar licks. Deanna Barney took the spotlight on "Know Your Game" and "Here's A Thought" (by the way, if record company executives get a chance to hear this band "I Know Your Game" is going to be a serious choice for a potential hit single). Derrick Dorsey laid down some serious bass licks. Sean Sheya is the perfect complement to the band now that Mike Sipple has departed the band for Jimmie's Chicken Shack.

Rebel Amish Radio completed a trifecta of band's inviting concert attendees onto the stage. Needless to say Rebel Amish Radio succeeded in getting the stage filled with enthusiastic fans for a rousing rendition of their hit "Pal" - it was chaotic, it was messy, it was rock 'n' roll, and it was beautiful.

Visit Rebel Amish Radio's website at http://www.rebelamishradio.com/ for more information.

It was a great night to hear hard-hitting music. Personally, I thought the evening's best bands were Spine and Rebel Amish Radio. However, I certainly walked away with a greater appreciation for the musical talent in the heavy rock genre in the mid-Atlantic. These bands are living their dreams - get out and see local talent and support your scene.

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