4th and Dock

4th and Dock

4th and Docks original blend of alt blues and hook driven venomous rock leaves little to the imagination. Everything that pours through their amps is visually exploded onto stage in their entertaining live performances. The band started out in 2004 with Brandon Harris on guitar, Ryan Birtles on drums and Lead Singer Mikal Crist. With this cinematic trio the band played show after show reaching as far south as Atlanta, Georgia while participating in the final year of Music Midtown. “Music Midtown was the first time we really got to feel the reality of being a musician.”, states Ryan Birtles. 4th and Dock was the first band on the opening day of the festival, kicking off a plethora of talent including the Pixies, the White Stripes, Black Eyed Peas, Tom Petty and many more. Later that same year the band was lucky enough to travel north to Philadelphia to start working with Grammy award winning producer David Ivory. While in the studio the band molded their sound into the chaotic perfection that you can hear today.


4th and Dock recently took back to the stage with their largest gathering of hometown fans and newly acquired friends when they rocked the UNCW Midnight Madness outside-after-party last week, sponsored by ACE. As a previous fan of the band looking upward you may have seen the two newest members, Zack Brindisi and Alex Seller equally rocking the crowd with thumping bass lines and original guitar riffs. The band played through the night blasting the crowd with the best guitar driven rock I’ve heard to date, including the freshest song Black Limousine off the bands upcoming album. The majority of the crowd gathered in a semi circle in front of the band as the always exciting and flamboyant front man crawled into the crowd for a quick sing along. The night was topped off with Want It All the Time the first single of the new album sending the crowd into a rock and roll frenzy with raw yet intelligent lyrics and rhythms, The band mentioned that while they do not have a release date for the album they are furiously at work.

While some may look at this group of guys as high fashion tattooed fluff, the reality of it shines through. These boys are nothing but RAW rock and roll and have spread their success back to the community playing fundraising shows for various organizations including Rock Against Rape and Habitat for Humanity. While for charity or for pure excitement the music hits you like a fist of rocks in your soul while the lyrics flood the mind with sex and drugs as if it were sent to us from 1968. From Ryan Birtles raunch rocking drum beats to Mikal Crists’ wide vocal range and eclectic blend of microphone swinging dance this band is the real deal. “We don’t need a label and we don’t need dollar signs, we just need real people who enjoy rock n roll!”, wild man Mikal Crist comments on whether or not they were signed to a record deal. As of right now the band is in the studio with Tommy Brothers at Audio Genesis trying to complete their highly anticipated first album. Visit them on myspace at www.myspace.com/4thandDock to see for yourself just how bad music lovers need this album.


- Social Magazine