70 Lewis

by Kristen Dutton

You've heard them, you've seen their flyers around Lakewood, if you haven't heard their music, you know their name, 70 Lewis. 70 Lewis is taking the city by storm creating piano based pop-progressive rock with a chemistry you have never heard or seen before.
70 Lewis is made up of four Lakewoodites, Scott Young (age 25), Mike Gray (21), Chris Hoffman (23), and Kenny Kerns (23). 70 Lewis started 2 1/2 years ago when members Mike Gray and Scott Young began writing songs together. Later, drummer Chris Hoffman joined and they played their first concert at the Winchester in Lakewood on December 14th, 2007 after being asked by a high school friend and former Lakewood Project member Tyler Bond to open for his band, 28 North. About 5 months ago Kenny Kerns joined 70 Lewis to play keyboards, trumpet, melodica, backup vocals, and bass guitar.

Mike Gray describes the band as having an "immediate family feel" the moment Kenny joined the band. All 4 members attended and graduated from Lakewood City Schools, participating in activities such as The Lakewood Project, Choir, Orchestra, Band, and Marching Band during their time at LHS. There is no doubt that the Lakewood school system and the variety of programs Lakewood offers have helped 70 Lewis build a band based on friendship that goes beyond musicianship, almost to a brotherhood. The band describes Lakewood as being very "nurturing" to their friendship and their band.

The members of 70 Lewis play a variety of instruments and their roles change with every song. Mike plays piano, various percussion, and you can hear him on vocals with Scott. Scott also plays guitar and bass. Chris plays drums and various percussion, and Kenny plays keyboards, bass, trumpet, melodica, and back up vocals.

I had a chance to watch 70 Lewis play the Lakewood Alive & Well Streetwalk on July 18th at Sinagra Park and it was a fantastic, well attended performance. Mike and Scott have an ability to sound as one when they sing together, like listening to brothers. Kenny is a loveable goofball on stage, bouncing around instrument to instrument showcasing his talent effortlessly on each. Chris on drums is unstoppable, he is the backbone of the sound, he is the puppet master that makes the band move and play together as one.

Since December of 2007, 70 Lewis has been building their fan base and playing shows at local places such as The Winchester, The Beachland, Phoenix Coffee, Bella Dubby, The Hi-Fi, Time Warner-Cable Amphitheate, and many more.

So what can we expect to see from 70 Lewis in the future? That are tentatively planning a spring release of a full studio album. 70 Lewis is playing a number of upcoming shows including Crocker Park at 8pm on July 31st, a showcase for Warner records at Rocketown in Nashville, Tennessee on August 3rd, LEAF Nights on Wednesday, August 19th outside of the Main Library, and an acoustic show at Phoenix Coffee House on August 29th at 7pm. If you have not seen or heard 70 Lewis I encourage you to make it out to one of these shows, and bring the family too!

70 Lewis's music is available to purchase for download on iItunes and Amazon.com. If you'd like to contact the band, you can reach them on the web at www.70Lewis.com. You can also find 70 Lewis on Twitter and Facebook.
- Lakewood Observer

by Keith Gribbins

70 Lewis, 28 North 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 The Winchester 12112 Madison Ave. 216.226.5681 Tickets: $12 thewinchester.net Pop's unifying message is often a personal one. Just ask the four friends in Lakewood's 70 Lewis. Since 2007, they've channeled big dreams and broken hearts into their well-crafted radio rock. Sardined into a booth at the Boneyard in Broadview Heights on a cold January night, the four mates drink root beer, water and coffee while debating the merits of Nickelodeon and other random topics. The one thing they agree on is the emotional connection to their full-length debut East Coast Sunday Morning.

"We migrated toward the idea of picking the most personal songs," says guitarist Scott Young. "Lyrically, the majority of the writing is about relationships and life. These are very introspective songs about our experiences."

The band quickly notes that it speaks in two languages — lyrically with emotive pop tales about life's highs and lows, and subtly with musicianship: complex, harmonious, piano-fronted rock. They hope the latter will impress the most detailed listener. The former will undoubtedly melt your heart.

"We pride ourselves on having such technical thought as to make songs that wouldn't be described as technical," says singer-pianist Mike Gray. "A lot of times you over-think stuff, and it comes out as over-thought. This is pop, but it's respectable because musicians, people who know music, can tell a lot of thought went into it. But as much as it is our stream-of-conscious music and lyrics, we definitely know we want to play something listenable and radio-worthy."

While you were smoking pot and playing air guitar to Dark Side of the Moon, these kids were in their bedrooms learning how to play the album. All four grew up schooled in guitar, piano, drums or all three (they switch from trumpet, bass and guitar onstage). They attended Lakewood High School where they played in the school band, and most were part of the Lakewood Project, a rotating ensemble featuring some 30 instrumentalists picked from the school system, who mix classical music with classic rock in the vein of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

"My dad was a traveling musician with country bands — locally and nationally," says Kenny Kerns III, the band's utility player on piano, synth, trumpet, melodica and bass. "He played piano and trumpet like I do. I've played piano since I could sit on a piano bench. I'd say I didn't have a say in the matter and maybe at the time I didn't, but it was all I ever wanted to do."

Of course, it's not the mechanics that make 70 Lewis a success; it's the band's sentimental personality. A song like "Underwater & Divided" may be a synth-sized rocker that sounds like Spiritualized, but behind its piano power ballad is the story of a guy struggling with life decisions about college, music, family and success. Gray shares lyrical duties with drummer Chris Hoffman, who writes the album's most pining pop tunes like "Hurricane," "Rocker" and "Songs for Someone," songs about bad relationships and breakups. Live, it all has a hypnotic energy, as lonesome pianos battle uptempo guitars to connect with the crowd — sounding like a cross between Fastball and Ben Folds Five. And Hoffman actually stands in front of his drum kit, pounding away.

"My first drum set came without a throne or a high hat," he says. "I was five years old and I was just so excited to have a drum set — a real drum set — I was like, I don't need a seat."

The band's energy has good karma. East Coast Sunday Morning was recorded during two months in 2009 at Lava Room Recording after the band had won $3,000 of studio time at a Columbia Station battle of the bands last June. At this weekend's CD- release show, the ticket price will include a copy of the album and food. 70 Lewis even plan on drinking with the crowd after their set, while Tricky Dick and the Cover Ups tone it down and play a few covers during an afterparty celebration.

"It's like a family vibe at every show," says Kerns. "It's a real energy. Chris stands up and we all dance. I dance till I can't breathe. Everyone feels close and happy. It's all got this real warm feeling."
- Cleveland Scene Magazine

By Plain Dealer guest writer
January 28, 2010, 6:00PM


70 Lewis, piano rock

Hometown: Lakewood

Years performing: two

Day gig: office assistant, retail worker, IT tech, warehouse worker

By John Benson, Special to The Plain Dealer

One of the hurdles of being a piano-rock act is overcoming the stigma that your music is, well, a bit on the wussy side. For Lakewood act 70 Lewis -- Mike Gray (vocals, piano), Scott Young (guitars, vocals), Chris Hoffman (drums) and Kenny Kerns (bass, keyboards) -- such a stereotype is being met head on.

"How we overcome that is just by rocking out and having the most fun you can have onstage," said Hoffman, a 2004 Lakewood High School graduate. "It's just putting on a show for people and giving them something to watch. I think musically you throw in a guitar solo that would remind you of something more in the hard-rock vein, but over top a piano melody, and it comes out a little different to people. It rocks a little bit more. It has more of an edge to it than to most piano rock."

Among the band favorites from its new CD are the upbeat "Underwater and Divided" and the poppy "Hurricane." The quartet has booked a CD-release show for 9 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester Tavern & Music Hall, 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood. Opening is 28 North. Tickets are $12. Call 216-226-5681.


Hidden gem: Known for his stint in a pre-Joe Walsh James Gang and then later with Pacific Gas & Electric, respected guitarist Glenn Schwartz has spent the past three decades in relative obscurity. That is except for his gigs with the Schwartz Brothers, which includes sibling and former Robert Lockwood Jr. bass player Gene Schwartz.

"Glenn and I have been playing together since we were kids," said Gene, a Collinwood native and Euclid resident. "We've been playing for nearly 30 years under the name the Schwartz Brothers. We perform all our own material. We don't record. We just play live performances. Our sound is anything from Hendrix to Johnny Cash."

Among the band's staple songs are the upbeat "Fear and Doom," the heavy "Right Hand" and the rocking "Mountaintop." The trio, which also includes longtime drummer Paul O'Brien, recently kicked off a monthly residency at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland. The Schwartz Brothers return for a show 8 tonight at the venue. Tickets are $5. Call 216-383-1124.
- Cleveland Plain Dealer

Five cans of food or $5 is all it costs to see Lakewood band 70 Lewis in a concert benefiting the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland on Tuesday at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights.

The four-man band is made up of longtime Lakewood residents Chris Hoffman, Mike Gray, Taylor Netzler and Scott Young. All four are Lakewood High School graduates who have played together for the last year, creating a sound they describe as alternative progressive pop with a technical twist.

"It's a fine line between musical expression and radio-friendly pop songs," said Netzler, guitar and bass.
"It's got a lot of mainstream elements; it's super catchy and it has that pop feeling," added Gray, piano and vocals. "We add a level of musicianship that is not very common in today's alternative pop genre market. We try to blend easy listening, alternative pop and melody lines that people can latch onto with a technicality that musicians can respect."

While the group's songs appeal to a wide audience of radio listeners and college-town kids, the technical elements incorporated into each song bring them a following of older musicians and music lovers as well.

"It's awesome because the same music that college aged kids are listening to and enjoying, older, seasoned musicians are respecting which is unique to a band in this area especially," Gray said.

The versatility of the band translates well to their shows where a mix of the styles is incorporated into the set list and transitioned with musical interludes to keep the feel and flow of the show consistent.

"There's some stuff that sounds like a straightforward piano-rock song, the three minute rock song that could appeal to everyone, and we've got some more stuff that's the six or seven- minute long technical songs," said Young, guitar, bass and vocals.

Although they do not currently have a recorded album, 70 Lewis has nearly two albums-worth of material. They carefully pick and choose a set list for each audience before a show, paying close attention to the overall presentation of the music.

"You want to give people a reason to come out and to keep coming to see you," said Chris Hoffman, percussion. "I know the feeling of how awesome it is when you walk out of a show and you've seen a great stage presence. It's about keeping people in their chairs and keeping people entertained, making them happy and making them glad they came to see the show."

The band has played many local venues and plans to expand their shows to more towns in Ohio, but their favorite place to play is The Winchester on Madison Avenue where they recently played a Halloween show in full costume.

"We try to focus on the music but we have that stage presence add the theatrics to the show and make it enjoyable," Gray said.

But as much as the group enjoys live shows, they plan to hold off on booking more gigs in order to devote their attention to recording and putting out their first album.

"We have so much material and our fans know it, but the problem is that we haven't been satisfied with enough to show everyone that this is our band," Hoffman said, adding that now the band has come together to the point where they are ready to enter the studio.

Doors open for the Hunger Network's benefit concert at the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., at 7 p.m. WJCU air personalities will be in attendance and there will be giveaways and raffle prizes before the show begins at 8 p.m.
- Lakewood Sun Post