The Martini Shot

Artist Information

Biography

THE MARTINI SHOT is a cover and original six-piece Pop-Rock Band based out of Southern Colorado. Major influences of band are Barenaked Ladies, Reel Big Fish, and 311. The Martini Shot has released three original projects including their first self-titled album, "The Martini Shot," their sophomore album "Dry & Dirty," and the latest album, "Shakin' and Stirred." The Martini Shot performs nearly every weekend throughout the year and was voted the "2009 Best Cover Band" and the "2006 Best Original and Cover Band" by readers of the Colorado Springs Independent. They staples at local clubs, festivals, and event series. The Martini Shot is also in high demand for weddings and private events. The band was established in 2000 and most of the members are local music teachers. The name, "Martini Shot," refers to the Hollywood slang term for the last shoot of the day.

Instrumentation

Andy Clementi - Guitar, Lead Vocalist
Ryan Walter - Lead Guitar, background vocals
Brian Person - Trumpet, background vocals
Rob Smith - keyboards, Saxophone, background vocals
Brook Mead - Bass Guitar, background vocals
Greg Trujillo - Drums & Percussion

Discography

Shakin' and Stirred - 2008
Dry & Dirty - 2005
The Martini Shot (EP) - 2002

Official Website

http://www.martinishotband.net

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• iTunes
• Amazon.com
• CD Baby
• Andriod App | iPhone App
• The Martini Shot Blog

Audio

• Only For Tonight - Dry & Dirty
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• I Don't Mind - Dry & Dirty
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• My Town - Dry & Dirty
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• Too Much Fun - Shakin' and Stirred
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• MSB Cover Demo
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• Love Song In The Making - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Hate To Make You Want Me - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Words Get In The Way - Dry & Dirty
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• Catchy Song - Dry & Dirty
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• Another Boy - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Say What You Will - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Love Fades Away - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Like I Can - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Don't Say A Prayer For Me - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Just One More Time - Shakin' and Stirred
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• It's Up To You - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Goodbye Is Mine - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Yeah Son! - Shakin' and Stirred
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• Angels Don't Fall To Harm - Dry & Dirty
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• Bo-Body (Klickity Klow) - Dry & Dirty
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• Brand New - Dry & Dirty
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• Woman - Dry & Dirty
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• Take It Away - Dry & Dirty
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• Number One - Dry & Dirty
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• Wanna Be - The Martini Shot
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• This Highway - The Martini Shot
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• Jungle Beat - The Martini Shot
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• Better Way - The Martini Shot
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• Why Me - The Martini Shot
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• Pittsburgh - The Martini Shot
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Lyrics

• Too Much Fun - Shakin' and Stirred
• Hate To Make You Want Me - Shakin' and Stirred
• Another Boy - Shakin' and Stirred
• Say What You Will - Shakin' and Stirred
• Love Song In The Making - Shakin' and Stirred
• Don't Say a Prayer For Me - Shakin' and Stirred
• Love Fades Away - Shakin' and Stirred
• Like I Can - Shakin' and Stirred
• Just One More Time - Shakin' and Stirred
• It's Up To You - Shakin' and Stirred
• Goodbye is Mine - Shakin' and Stirred
• Only For Tonight - Dry & Dirty
• My Town - Dry & Dirty
• Words Get In The Way - Dry & Dirty
• Brand New - Dry & Dirty
• Number One - Dry & Dirty
• Woman - Dry & Dirty
• I Don't Mind - Dry & Dirty
• Angels Don't Fall To Harm - Dry & Dirty
• Bo-Body (Klickity Klow) - Dry & Dirty
• Catchy Song - Dry & Dirty
• Take It Away - Dry & Dirty
• Wanna Be - The Martini Shot
• This Highway - The Martini Shot
• Jungle Beat - The Martini Shot
• Better Way - The Martini Shot
• Why Me - The Martini Shot
• Pittsburgh - The Martini Shot

Video

The Martini Shot - Promotion Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Martini Shot Packs B Street! [+ Show ]
  

  "The biggest, baddest Bash so far took place June 17, thanks to the high-powered sounds of The Marti..."The biggest, baddest Bash so far took place June 17, thanks to the high-powered sounds of The Martini Shot. The undisputed kings of The B Street Bash, thrilled dancers..." - June 24, 2011

• Keeping it Casual in Colorado Springs [+ Show ]
  

  "The band was crucial and ours rocked. [The Martini Shot] was amazing and the dance floor was packed..."The band was crucial and ours rocked. [The Martini Shot] was amazing and the dance floor was packed all night." - May 27, 2011
  

• Festival Fridays! [+ Show ]
  

  "Standing room only, with more people lined up outside waiting to get in. Such was the scene Friday..."Standing room only, with more people lined up outside waiting to get in. Such was the scene Friday at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, where the mighty Martini Shot came, saw and conquered." - January 28, 2011
  

• "Best of" Awards
  

  "Voted Colorado Springs Best Local Cover Band in 2009, 2006 (also Original Band), 2005, and 2004"

• Pueblo Chieftain [+ Show ]
  

  "The reason for the band's (essentially) guaranteed appearance is simple: appeal. Martini Shot rout..."The reason for the band's (essentially) guaranteed appearance is simple: appeal. Martini Shot routinely draws an audience of 1000 people or more for its rock/pop shows. Its record is 1,916 people in the summer of 2007, Hart said." - July 08, 2011
  

• The Martini Shot Launches Its Third Recording Tonight [+ Show ]
  

  Southern Colorado musical favorites The Martini Shot have served up a new helping of original music ...Southern Colorado musical favorites The Martini Shot have served up a new helping of original music via "Shakin' and Stirred," an eclectic and entertaining 12-track disc.
  
  This record, the third release from this high-energy six-piece band, will be launched tonight during the group's Festival Fridays performance.
  
  Recorded in drummer Greg Trujillo's home studio over the span of a year, this self-produced disc shows a band making tremendous progress in both song-writing and production. Pristine in audio quality, the disc is mostly true to The Martini's Shot signature sound - ska- and jazz-infused pop with tight harmonies - with a few welcome detours.
  
  The funky and fun horn-driven instrumental "Yeah Son!” plays like the love child of Prince and the Average White Band's "Pick Up The Pieces." And the record's closing track, the a capella "Goodbye is Mine," is a smooth doo-woppish tune that spotlights the band's notable harmony abilities.
  
  When you sing this well, instruments aren't always needed.
  
  While all of the songs are solid and listenable - with plenty of horns, fuzzy guitars and jangly acoustic strumming - a few stand out as radio-friendly musical excursions. These include "Love Song in the Making," a flowing mid-tempo number with a laid-back Jack Johnson feel; the bittersweet "Another Boy;" and "Like I Can," the front-runner for the album's "hit."
  
  A poignant melody is complemented by big guitars in the chorus and a dreamy riff throughout. A bit of a different style for The Martini Shot, the song would be right at home on any modern-rock radio playlist.
  
  And that, lead singer Andy Clementi said, was the goal this time out.
  
  "We wrote for the radio," he explained. "The songs are poppy and short. We feel that we've really grown as songwriters."
  
  Clementi calls the album the band's "most collaborative effort to date. We're real happy with it and pleased that we were able to do some fairly quality work in a garage in Pueblo."
  
  Added bassist Brook Mead, "Creating this CD was harder than the last. We have learned some new recording techniques, but doing it on your own, you only have yourself to blame if it doesn't sound the way you want it to sound.
  
  "The arrangements proved trickier this time around. And the deadline we set was hard to meet, but we think it is the best to date."
  
  Long a fixture on the Southern Colorado club circuit, the Shot is now making the push into Denver, where gigs there will most certainly expose a larger audience to their catchy sound and energetic stage show.

• Catch'em If You Can [+ Show ]
  

  Music fans fed up with the boilerplate, plastic pop that's clogging up the airwaves, rejoice. Your d...Music fans fed up with the boilerplate, plastic pop that's clogging up the airwaves, rejoice. Your deliverance is at hand.
  
  Courtesy of a local band, even.
  
  The Martini Shot, a Pueblo six-piece group whose first-rate musical chops and jumpin' live performances have made it a staple on the Colorado Springs-Pueblo music circuit, recently released its first full-length CD.
  
  And it's a solid little baby.
  
  "Dry and Dirty," a 12-track disc, was recorded and produced at the home studio of band member Rob Smith. Crisp-sounding and finely crafted, it's the culmination of nearly a year of writing, recording, editing and mastering - all of which came between gigs, full-time jobs, schooling and family commitments.
  
  "We're very proud of the disc," said lead vocalist and front man Andy Clementi. "It's a combined effort with input from each band member."
  
  The band lineup consists of Ryan "Sizzle Pizzle" Walter on guitar, Brook Mead on bass, Rob Smith on saxophone and keyboards, Greg Trujillo on drums and Brian Person on horns. All contribute vocals. Mastered and packaged at PHF Recording Studios in New Jersey, the disc is a mixture of "old" songs - ditties sometimes years in the making - and new numbers written in the last six months. All are stamped with that signature Martini Shot sound - an ample beat, smooth harmonies and reggae-influenced licks.
  
  And let's not forget the horns, which help set the band apart from many a bar combo.
  
  "Only for Tonight" kicks off the disc, and for good reason. An up-tempo, bouncy number that's been a performance staple for months, "Only for Tonight" is a harmony-fueled blast of ska pop that, in an ideal world, would be on radio playlists high and low.
  
  Another choice cut is "My Town," a song the group has been playing live for some time. Driven by clever horn-based and guitar riffs, "My Town" is a lyrical look at bygone days through the eyes of old friends. (How infectious is the song? Listen to the "hidden track" on song No. 12 and you'll hear a lively Colorado Springs bar crowd singing the chorus word for word.)
  
  A tender ballad with a dreamy groove, "Angels Don't Fall to Harm" would surely be the lead-off single had "Dry and Dirty" been released by a major record label. "Angels" is a definite high point for the band - great structure and melody with heartfelt lyrics. If "Angels" isn't a hit somewhere down the road, then it's time to churn up the road and pave a new one.
  
  Other noteworthy tunes: "I Don't Mind," which calls to mind the vibe of "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys; the feel-good, Latin-tinged "Bo-Body (Klickity Klow)"; and "Catchy Song," a driving, high-energy, uh, catchy song.
  
  While The Martini Shot is proud to call Pueblo home - local shows always draw enthusiastic crowds - most of its performances take place in the Springs, in such venues as The Ritz and Southside Johnny's. As such, the Colorado Springs Independent recently listed The Martini Shot in a tie with Springs vets Head Full of Zombies as the Pikes Peak region's "best local cover band."
  
  While pleased with that recognition, the Shot is aiming for a higher honor next year.
  
  "It's definitely a compliment, and we're flattered," said guitarist Walter. "But we want to be named 'best local original band' next year. That's our goal."
  
  If "Dry and Dirty" - reasonably priced, by the way, at $10 - is any indication, the group is well on its way. The Martini Shot plans to promote the disc online through its Web site - www.martinishotband.net   - and at www.CDbaby.com . It also is available at Independent Records and at any Shot show.
  
  "This CD is true to what we're doing now and represents our sound much better than our first release," Clementi said. "The chemistry in this lineup is very strong and we feel that it's reflected in the disc."

• Martini Shot Band Shakes and Stirs [+ Show ]
  

  To make a blue sky martini, for example, you'll need a shot of vodka and a bit of Blue Curacao. To m...To make a blue sky martini, for example, you'll need a shot of vodka and a bit of Blue Curacao. To make a Martini Shot Band, however, you'll need a bit more: six competent musicians, an exciting and eclectic song list, a solid work ethic and the belief that it's all going to pay off in the end.
  
  Arguably the region's hardest working and most energetic band, The Martini Shot Band is fast becoming a fixture on the state's live music circuit. Anchored by frontman and lead vocalist Andy Clementi, who also plays guitar, MSB features Ryan "Sizzle Pizzle" Walter on lead guitar, Brook Mead on bass, Rob Smith on saxophone and keyboards, Brian Person on trumpet and Greg Trujillo on drums.
  
  Truly a Southern Colorado-based band, The Martini Shot Band began to form in September 2000 in Alamosa, home of Adams State College - where the majority of the band at that time was majoring in music. (From that original lineup, only Clementi remains.)
  
  It wasn't long before the group's high energy show and catchy songlist garnered a dedicated following. Word quickly spread and the band was invited to play college events such as the Freshmen Convocation and Super Fun Day.
  
  In 2001, MSB left the San Luis Valley and moved to Clementi's hometown of Pueblo. Here, the band was welcomed by Greg "Smitty" Smith, owner of the Green Light Tavern, who immediately took a liking to MSB and made the group the tavern's house band. "He was the only guy that was willing to give us a shot," said Walter.
  
  Smith's early support was not lost on the group, and to this day, he remains an unofficial member who often appears on stage to belt out a song or two. To the members of MSB, he's "our dad."
  
  In Steel City, things began to happen quickly for the hard-working sextet. After only a year, MSB was voted the "best local band" in Pueblo by the readers of the Pueblo Business Journal and was invited to play events such as Festival Fridays, the KDZA Beach Party and the Colorado State Fair - the big daddy of area entertainment events.
  
  It wasn't long before the group began branching out, gigging in Colorado Springs, Denver, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge and more, at such well-known party establishments as Southside Johnny's, The Ritz Bar and Grill, Tequila's and the Soiled Dove.
  
  In the summer of 2002, the band released its first compact disc, a six-song "extended play" featuring "Better Way," a concert staple and fan favorite. The group printed 1,000 copies of the disc and proudly notes that the run is nearly sold out.
  
  Although it defies exact labels, the music of the band can best be classified as progressive, ska- or reggae-influenced rock with a hint of the Dave Matthews Band - an obvious comparative point due to both group's use of horns.
  
  When asked to pinpoint the group's sound, members use a variety of descriptions, including "multi-genre," "Latin-tinged funky progressive rock," "eclectic," "reggae-influenced." This "all over the map" self-analogy can be traced to the myriad of influences claimed by the band members: Dave Matthews, REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young, the Beatles, Barenaked Ladies, Snoop Dogg, Miles Davis, heavy metal, and so forth.
  
  And a glance at the cover songs performed by the band gives even more insight into the fact that MSB doesn't play by the rules: Nelly, 311, Commodores, Fountains of Wayne, Sly and the Family Stone, Michael Jackson and even Vanilla Ice are just some of the artists covered by the band during a typical performance.
  
  And it's precisely this versatility and willingness to stretch the boundaries that makes MSB a premier party band. I mean, not many bands - especially those that take themselves way too seriously - will lay claim to covering The Digital Underground's playful rap "Humpty Dance" and Neil Diamond's bombastic "Sweet Caroline." Or how about Sublime's funky "What I Got" in the first set and The Sugarhill Gang classic "Rapper's Delight" in the second? Trust me, it works.
  
  Slated to begin recording its first full-length CD this week, MSB will draw on a pool of some 20 songs, "some old, some new, plus some that haven't yet been written," according to Mead. Songwriting is a collaborative effort, with each member adding something to the bouillabaisse that eventually becomes a MSB song.
  
  While not willing to go out on a limb and offer a prediction, band members are confident that the disc might boast one or two "breakout" songs - tunes which can garner airplay as well as the attention of major record labels and/or tour promoters.
  
  Without a doubt, Clementi's talent as a frontman is a key to MSB's appeal as a strong performing band. An accomplished vocalist with a penchant for nifty dance moves, Clementi has the ability to get the proceedings jumping and to make the listeners become a part of the show.
  
  As an aside, MSB may be one of the more educated musical collectives around. Four members are full-time music/vocal teachers in area schools. Walter is currently pursuing a degree in marketing and two former members left the band to pursue higher degrees.
  
  With full-time careers along with family commitments, keeping the MSB machine moving isn't a small task. Using evenings and weekends to rehearse, write and perform, the members often find themselves stretched thin. But as veterans of the music scene, they realize that every band, from the Beatles to Duran Duran, has had to pay its dues in one way or another before making the big time. Booking gigs, endless bus trips to the shows, setting up and tearing down PA systems, trying to conjure up that one big song.
  
  It's all part of the crazy industry that is popular music and one must learn to walk before he struts.
  
  But make no mistake about it: The Martini Shot Band is in the game for the long haul, with the goal of breaking nationally someday. This will come about, the band believes, by recording a solid CD, shopping it to major labels for pickup, and/or touring with a major act. With persistence, a bit of luck and a few good songs, the future, in the words of Tom Petty, is wide open.
  
  "I feel good about this lineup and we're confident about the new songs," Clementi said. "You never know what might happen." When asked to pinpoint the group's sound, members use a variety of descriptions, including 'multi-genre,' 'Latin-tinged funky progressive rock,' 'eclectic,' 'reggae-influenced.'

• 'Dry and Dirty' shows Martini's promise [+ Show ]
  

  This is the sort of album you fell in love with if you were 17 in 1997. It has it all - the punk ...This is the sort of album you fell in love with if you were 17 in 1997.
  
  It has it all - the punk anthems, the reggae-ska singalongs, the teeny-love ballads, and even one song that seems to be a mix of funk and classic Beastie Boys.
  
  The album is so sylistically incongruent, it screams identity crisis, and the songs are so passionately absurd they seem almost a musical interpretation of the state of being a teenager.
  
  In short, it's a wonderful, youthful album, although the sound is a bit dated.
  
  Those who listen to today's radio, scoff and yearn for a mid-to late '90s sound, will probably enjoy this CD.
  
  The up-tempo numbers are the band's best. "Dry & Dirty" starts on a high note with the horn-drawn ska delivery of "Only for Tonight."
  
  Plain and simple, the song makes you want to dance. So do "Number One" and "Catchy Song."
  
  It is nice that the band tried to balance the album, putting so much effort into slow songs as "Words Get in the Way" and "Angles Don't Fall to Harm." Unfortunately, these songs seem to weigh down the album. The Shot just sounds so good pumping out the speedy, wailing ska-punk bits that these seem like fillers.
  
  This is an excellent first effort, but it would be nice to see the Shot zero in on what it's best at - speedy, sleazy ska.

Setlist

The Martini Shot has a wide variety of covers while their original music is radio-friendly and catchy. The Shot has enough original music for 90 minutes and enough covers for 5 hours.

For complete tune visit: www.martinishotband.net

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

Martini Shot Stage Plot

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