Rev. Bob & the Darkness

Artist Information

Biography

A special blend of Bluegrass, Blues, Stax R&B and Gospel all on the Rocks,
telling stories of love, betrayal, murder, and obsession ...

Rev. Bob & the Darkness fearlessly wears its roots influences on its sleeve.
While the styles vary, the instrumentation defines the band all on its own,
including Classical Guitar, Upright Bass, Accordion, 5-String Violin, Trumpet
and Percussion, plus 3-4 part harmony vocals.

The Boston based band originally started as a side project for Rev. Bob Matros
and Dark Mark White 8 years ago while each worked in separate heavy rock bands
and jazz ensembles. Through the years the band went through several lineup changes
while developing its playbook of currently over 40 originals and well more than a dozen
uniquely arranged covers. In the last three years the band has settled into a comfortable
ensemble including Cutty Foster, Max Lewis, Betty Widerski, John Buczkowski, and
Brenda Rudzinski. The band has done 45 min. sets to 3-4 hour evenings of mixing things
up and getting tight with the crowd and has been well received in Providence, Manhattan
and Brooklyn, as well as the Boston area.

This past September the band proudly released their first album (17 tracks) of original music
titled ENDSVILLE, a completely independent production recorded in the Rev.’s own
Hooker Street Studios. CDs and other merchandise are available direct from their website
GoSaveYourself.com

The band's sets can be tailored to everything from listening rooms to drinking groups
out for a rowdy party. Very danceable originals may be combined with unique versions
of crowd-pleasing covers depending on the venue

Instrumentation

Rev. Bob: Guitar & Lead Vox
Darkmark: Upright Bass & Vox
Max Lewis : Trumpet, Percussion & Vox
Cutty Foster: Drums & Vocal
Julia Hughes: Lead & Backing Vox
Betty Widerski: Violin
John Buczkowski: Accordion

Discography

Endsville, the first full length CD by Rev. Bob & the Darkness is now available at Newbury Comics stores,
at the band's website and at shows.

Audio

Lyrics

• Dead Man Running
• Drown Me

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• "Endsville" Album Review - Rating: 5 of 5 Carrots [+ Show ]
  

  Rev. Bob and the Darkness Endsville Hooker Street Studios HSS001 2005 Now, here we have a priz...Rev. Bob and the Darkness
  Endsville
  Hooker Street Studios HSS001
  2005
  
  Now, here we have a prize winner. It has been a while since BluesBunny has heard an album that works so well as a complete item. The whole album flows beautifully including a whole variety of influences such as Delta blues, Mexican music and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It all gels so well that it is difficult to pick a favourite track (OK, if I had to, I would have to go for "Rosalie").
  
  Way back when, there was the concept of album bands who did not release singles. It would seem that independent music is now producing that kind of approach. The Ghettobillies' recent release "Cockpit" shows a similar approach and like Rev. Bob produces an album that works even better as a whole than it does as individual tracks. Other top tracks include the horn led "Scurry" and penultimate track, the deadly "Bury Me Not".
  
  BluesBunny also appreciates the special touches such as having vinyl-like crackles throughout the album. Did I mention that this release is their first in their current incarnation? And they all wear hats except for the drummer who looks like he might be Marky Ramone's little brother who just came back from college.
  
  A strong recommendation therefore. Go without beer this week and buy this CD instead. You won't regret it.
  
  [URL: http://www.bluesbunny.com/plist300908.html#p1 ]

• Post-Show Venue Comment [+ Show ]
  

  "This was one of the best shows we've had at the Gulu this year and Rev. Bob promises to be back in ..."This was one of the best shows we've had at the Gulu this year and Rev. Bob promises to be back in the fall. "
  
  http://www.gulu-gulu.com/events_archive.asp

• A Recent Response to Our EPK [+ Show ]
  

  Subject: FW: Band booking for XYZ Cafe? Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 10:31:08 -0400 WOW! This stuff i...Subject: FW: Band booking for XYZ Cafe?
  Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 10:31:08 -0400
  
  WOW! This stuff is incredible!
  
  Book 'em!!!
  
  :-)
  
  - Steve

• Show Review - Nov 19 2005 @ All Asia, Cambridge MA [+ Show ]
  

  The main factor that led to this night being turned upside down was three of the five acts scheduled...The main factor that led to this night being turned upside down was three of the five acts scheduled canceling-AHHH!! With mayhem like that going on before the show even starts, well that was the start of making me aware of what we were in for. Luckily we did find replacements, but what was our audience going to be like? We never had any acts bail before and now 3? Yeah, I was concerned, especially because the press release sent out had this show billed as our best presentation yet and it really would have been but, well, the show must go on.
  
  So the day of show arrives and the answer of what our audience was going to be like was a very unexpected one. As I discovered, the Saturday before Thanksgiving in Cambridge marks the area's annual bar-crawl. It involves people walking down all of Mass Ave. and chillin and drinkin at all 25 venues on the strip. We were #15 and I bet anyone can imagine what type of crowd we encountered. There we were, this show that's established for a listening music audience being presented to a lot of party hardy patrons. [...]
  
  The big and meaningful moment of the evening, though, was the overdue return of Rev Bob & The Darkness. Reading about this act in past reviews gives a clear indication of how much they mean to us. They're single-handedly resurrecting sounds that should have never died and their new CD Endsville is enough evidence of that. There were times during this night where I just wanted to scream, but seeing those boys under our big top again and hearing songs like "Rosalie" and "Dead Man Running" and everything else about them made it worth contending with everything.

• Show Review - April 24 2005 @ AS220, Providence RI [+ Show ]
  

  This show was just what we all needed. It turned out to be one of those that stands out above the re...This show was just what we all needed. It turned out to be one of those that stands out above the rest. Rev Bob & The Darkness were simply incredible. Their set was what everyone was talking about.

Setlist

The band has a catalog of roughly 40 original songs (see media files in this EPK for samples), plus selected covers performed in styles more in keeping with the band's "Roots, Rhythm & Gothic Blues" sound. The latter include a slow jazzy New Orleans version of "Roxanne" by the Police, and a bluegrass renditiion of "Like A Prayer" by Madonna. The band is capable of performing multiple 45-minute sets to cover from one slot to an entire evening at a venue.

Basic Requirements

Calendar