Saturday March 10th – It was the Night Of The Bass Player.
Four bands rocked Tony V’s Garage Saturday night (March 10th) in Everett WA; each one of them had a very active and animated bass player who stole the sets. Their stage activities were so noteworthy that the bassists were the first musicians I thought about when I began writing about the show.
Motogeist are; Justin Mccawley and Bass and Vocals, Mikey Breithaupt on Guitar, Zach Hoiland on Guitar and Vocals, rounding out with Tim Mullen on Drums. Motogeist plays with a sound like early 80s metal, before thrash metal got big.
Expect distortion, dual guitar leads, medium-fast tempos, growling vocals, and lots of cymbal. Wearing his black-rimmed glasses, bassist Justin was all over the stage – playing his axe like it was a wolfhound being tickled. Mikey blazed through several guitar solos that were both intricate and fast. Zach sang with emotion to match the fuzz coming from the guitars, while Tim’s work on the drums keeps all the parts in check and on course.
Motogeist alone was enough to bring on a good time. But wait; there was more!
Woodshed is a trio of Hunter Venturo on Guitar and Vocals, Nathan Reno on Bass, and Jake Turner on Drums. Their heavy mid-tempo sound is founded in blues and hard 70s rock. While I had never seen Woodshed play before, the music sounded comfortable and familiar – thanks to those influences that I also enjoy. Hunter commanded the mic; he sometimes overpowered it, which is exactly how his message needed to come across.
Nathan played his bass while moving, twisting, and invoking a multitude of facial expressions beyond anything I’ve seen in a long time. Jake’s hair moved as fast as the drumsticks in his hands, and the beat remained solid all along.
Looking out into the audience, and seeing the crowd sway and sing along, it was clear that Woodshed has a solid fan base.
Devils Hunt Me Down – consists of Matthew Singleton Bentley on 12-string and vocals, Christopher Allen Bicknell on Guitar, Callum James Michael Dickson on Drums, and Ian ‘Liquid Fingers’ Sides on Bass. These guys were the big surprise for me that night; I had only experienced them in passing at a show some time ago, so I was thrilled to catch up with them for a full set.
Their music crossed boundaries set by genre, with a strong footing in rock but with exploratory trips fusing progressive sounds and metering. “The Owl“ was one of my favorite songs that night, and sadly the video I shot quit halfway through while recording. Thankfully I was able to record “En Passant“ later, with its hard-driving beat and grungy underpinnings. The band was tight, feeding off each other’s energy and sailing through the set as a team. Funky timing? No problem. They had it down pat. Ian lived up to his nickname of ‘Liquid Fingers‘, and also spent much of the set spinning, gyrating, and generally mimicking the Energizer Bunny.
ZEKE are Blind Marky Felchtone on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Kyle Whitefoot on Guitar, Kurt Colfelt on Bass, and Dayne Porras on Drums.
24 years ago I bought an orange-vinyl 45 record of ZEKE performing “West Seattle Acid Party” and “Schmidt Value Pack,” and still have it somewhere in my archives. It is what introduced me to this band, and the love for its energy never let go. Known for rapid-fire punk, loud amps and decades of unwavering dedication to unfiltered music, ZEKE brought their unique sound to the Tony V’s stage.
The set started out with the band’s backs to the audience while they summoned up a stage full of feedback; once the feedback settled into the same note, they launched into the first of many fast and frantic songs. Felchtone’s vocals were aggressive and growling. There were NO breaks between tunes, as Felchtone would strike a chord and get into the next song immediately. The result was a non-stop onslaught of sound, punctuated by words and the antics of the band. Kurt held himself like the veteran bass player he was, engaging the crowd and keeping eye contact the whole show. Fast and even-keeled work from Kyle on guitar and Dayne on drums kept the set moving forward – as they played off Felchtone’s queues.
It was no surprise when a mosh pit broke out during the first song.
The show was well-attended, and the venue was accommodating. The line up was brilliant – mixing stoner rock with progressive, while adding layers of aggression and grit. The one constant from each band was a bass player who added on-stage character to the impressive music they played. The combo of style and substance works, and attendance at the show proved the blend brings in the crowds.
Clearly, these four bands have a lot of fans – and that night those fans soon became fans of all the other bands!
Edited by GrungeGal50
Nehi Stripes Seattle 
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