by Bob Payne WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DAVRIK
posted January 2, 2009
 Bob Payne |
While I was fortunate enough to have interviewed many internationally known musicians like Merle Haggard, Chuck Leavell, Jeff Carlissi and others, I derive the most pleasure from seeing Chattanooga based bands put on a great performance right here in town.
That being said, I witnessed some performances that stood out among the crowd. Now let me clarify something right off the bat – when I say that so and so is the best kazoo player, I really mean that he is the best I saw in the year 2008. There may be many out there as good, or maybe better, but I just didn’t get around to seeing them in 2008. Here we go!
Best Live Performance – This was hard. There were so many good ones. Trombone Shorty was sure great. Christabel and the Jons. Whitey Johnson. The Tim Hughes Quartet. Sweet Georgia Sound. This year’s winner goes to Here Come The Mummies performance at UTC. These wonderful musicians put on a great show every time, but the fall concert, at night and outdoors was very good. They win.
Best Lead Guitar Player – Oh boy, I feel as though I will get some flack for this one, as there are so many good ones here in Chattanooga. My pick is Jonathon Wimpee. Now that I have said it, let me add that there are some that are also darn good. I almost had to draw the winner from the hat. Reece Varnell and Lars Hanson come to mind, as does Tim Neal. Charlie Chambers would rank right up there. Nick Lutsko from Infinite Orange is good, too. I almost picked Chris Phillips from Jumbo Deluxe, and I am not sure why I didn’t. It was that close.
Best Bass Guitar Player – This one goes to Kenny Palmer. He wins. Almost anyone that has ever seen Kenny play knows he is good, and I probably won’t get too much argument over this one. Tinsley Ellis’ bass player, The Evil One, is really good, too. There are too many good bass players in Chattanooga to mention, but Keith Corey and Phil Hodge come to mind right off.
Best Drummer – This year’s winner is Greg Rudder from Bud Lightning. I chose him because of his subtle style. He is not flashy, he doesn’t do drum tricks, and he doesn’t go all crazy keeping the beat. He is a working-man’s drummer, steady and hard at work at his craft. I like that. My favorite to watch was Dave Kennedy from Trent Summar and the New Row Mob Band, probably because he does go all crazy.
The Best Performance I Am Glad I Didn’t Miss – Christabel and the Jons at Barking Legs Theater. Studio quality sound, a great band that is tighter than Dick’s hatband, and a wonderful listening atmosphere all combined to make this my winner. They play often in Chattanooga, and I highly recommend this group. The Barking Legs is a fantastic place to ENJOY music.
Artist I Was Most Glad To See Come To Chattanooga: Bill Payne. My brother played at the Chattanooga Market in September.
Best Riverbend Performance (Local Band) – No Big Deal with the Chattanooga Boys Choir doing Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”. That was pretty cool. Dennis Massengale fainting on stage from the heat and having to be revived by Tim Neal was scary, until we discovered he was faking.
Best Riverbend Performance (Non-Local) – This one’s a tougher one, but I get paid the big bucks to make decisions, so I am going with Trombone Shorty.
Most Fun Concert 2008 – Aquapalooza. No Big Deal and The Mudville Mafia combined for a concert on the water at Chickamauga Dam on a hot summer day. Get hot and jump in for a swim. Girls in bikinis. Cold beverages. It didn’t hurt that we had the use of a half-million dollar yacht during the event, either.
Best Party Band in Chattanooga – I would have to say Bud Lightning wins this one. I think it is because they party as hard as their guests. They truly have a good time playing and it shows. Chris Gomez and the gang put on a show every time out. With the set list thrown out the window, they read a crowd as good as anyone, and get the party started with their energy. The Stratoblasters also deserved mention! If I took a non-local band to winnersville, BandX from Atlanta would be taking home the hardware.
Best Venue To Open And Close In 2008 – Deadwood Station! This was a really cool place, run by a really nice guy, but was doomed from the start. They were just 100 feet from the Chattanooga city limits, but that put them in Red Bank. Uh oh. First mistake. Not finishing the place may have been mistake number two. No set menu, number three. Despite a myriad of mistakes, the place almost made it just on its coolness factor.
Most Talent In One Place Award – Chattahippie Music Festival. It’s a shame the crowds were so poor, as the quality of music was second to none. The weather was beautiful, the setting was fantastic, and the management did a wonderful job putting on a great concert series.
Band With A Loyal Following: The Molly Maguires.
Does The Most For Music Played Locally: Jeff Styles. He loves music and makes a Herculean effort to put music out front in Chattanooga.
Best Performance Of A Song By An Artist With A Cigarette Hanging From His Mouth The Entire Song – Channing Wilson, for Smoke, Smoke, Smoke.
Best Venue (With Cover Charge) – Rhythm & Brews. This is a great place to go and see live music, and they offer the best in local, regional, and national entertainment right downtown.
Best Venue (No Cover) – Tie. T-Bones for their excellent servers, great Barbeque Pork, and friendly atmosphere. Kate, new-Becka, Faith, old-Becka, Amy, Leanne, Geno, Chad, Rodney, Mallory and all of the folks there are sooooo nice. Mucho thanks to T-Bones and Buds for providing artists a place to play.
Best Venue (No Cover) - Tie. Buds Sportsbar – Buds has live music, a fantastic menu, and a great, attentive staff. Not your typical bar-food menu, they offer everything from steaks to salads and everything in between.
Best Venue To Watch Music Up Close: The Chattanooga Market each Sunday. It’s free, family friendly, and there are many reasons to go there other than the music. Best act this year – Kylie Harris.
Best Venue I Plan To Visit in 2009: Charles & Myrtles Coffeehouse
Disclaimer: All opinions are strictly those of the writer and probably will not result in the winner getting a Grammy. Happy New Year, and we’ll see you out at the music in 2009!
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