50 Sticks of Dynamite
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50 Sticks of Dynamite

Ventura, California, United States | SELF

Ventura, California, United States | SELF
Band Blues Rock

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"50 Sticks of Dynamite"

After exploding onto the Ventura music scene less than a year ago, this band continues to make big and blasting first impressions.

A band is said to be a sum of its parts...if you were to remove Ian McFadyen from the equation you'd probably be left with less than a dozen sticks of Dynamite...Ian writes and sings most of the bands repertoire and his 6'2" suit and tie clad "Mr. Clean" persona is impossible to ignore as he powerfully unleashes an electric wall of sound from his amplified 5 string banjo complete with double cut-away black horns. In forming the band, Ian recruited friend and mythical musician Whitey Wingland to be his wingman on guitar and harmonica, met bassist Michael Dominguez via a mutual friend, and when their original drummer skipped town...Chris Jensen eagerly accepted the invitation to become 50's regular drummer.

The band is definitely building it's following of those who can't seem to get enough. It's interesting to see 50 Sticks fans come into the room cool, calm and collected only to leave at the end of the night drenched in their own sweat, a little hoarse from hollering and with authentic smiles from ear to ear...they kind of look like they've had a huge blast. Expect to hear 50 Sticks of Dynamite blow the roof off a place near you soon...better yet…be there when they detonate next! - Reverbnation


"PIcks of the Week"

"Celebrate Chris Jensen’s birthday on Thursday, Dec. 23 at Bombay Bar and Grill with Swing Cheese, Fido, 50 Sticks of Dynamite and Happens Again." (we were the headliner and featured picture in the recommendation) - VC Reporter


"50 Sticks of Dynamite!"

Last night I saw Ian McFadyen’s band, 50 Sticks of Dynamite. One of the things I love about banjo is that there are as many styles of playing as there are banjoists and certainly Ian and 50 Sticks are no exception. Ian plays a Deering Crossfire 5-string and their music is mostly high-energy blues/rock fusion. His playing style combines three finger Scruggs style with strumming/flat picking elements (Ian please correct me if you would describe it differently). Bottom line is, it works. The result grabs you by the soul and calls you to get out of your seat and dance, shake, and shout. And it’s not all about Ian and banjo. The rest of the musicians are amazing, too. Whitey Wingland plays sweet, clean guitar and is one of the better blues harp players I have heard. Michael Dominguez is rock solid and creative on bass and Chris Jensen is the exact drummer a band like this needs; he keeps a solid blanket of beat that makes it all work. - Boy Meets Banjo


"Rain Doesn't Dampen Clash of the Tritons"

Although Friday night's rain was blamed for the smaller than anticipated turnout for the battle of the bands competition, dubbed Clash of the Tritons, at Pacifica High School's Performing Arts Center, it didn't dampen the spirits or enthusiasm of some 60 student volunteers or event organizer Joni Papay.

"This concert personifies what the Cascade Project is all about," said Papay, founder of The Cascade Project. "We're pairing local area professionals with students to produce fundraising events for community nonprofits and charitable organizations. The students get real-world experience doing a job they may be interested in pursuing after graduation; the professionals get to observe potential employees in action and both groups get the satisfaction of helping raise money for an organization that is making a difference in their community. It's a win-win-win all the way around."

In the case of Cascade Project's Clash of the Tritons event, the students hailed from Oxnard's Pacifica High School; the professionals included event planner Kelly Clark Leonard of Events of the Season, videographer Luke Sommer of Whisperstone Communications, photographer Jessica Lewis and Scofield Catering, among others; and the nonprofit beneficiary was the Bridging All Students' Choices, BASC, Foundation.

Founded by Pacifica High School teacher and counselor Mark Fargo, the BASC Foundation was started "to support those students who want to continue their education and have the desire to gain the tools and skills necessary to pursue their dreams, but don't have the stellar academics or financial means required in today's competitive college environment."

Among the Pacifica High School student volunteers, who spent a week gaining valuable experience and insight into professions ranging from catering and photography to security and set design, were Aurora Cervantz and Jazmin Jaime.

"I thought it would be fun to help out and I always wanted to try event work," Aurora said.

Jazmin, a junior, said "Mr. McFadyen, my teacher, told me about this opportunity. He's in one of the bands performing. I'd also heard of the BASC Foundation and the scholarships and I'm definitely planning on going to college after I graduate."

Although the electric banjo-fronted 50 Sticks of Dynamite was the odds on favorite going into the competition — the band is comprised of Pacifica High School teachers Mark "Whitey" Wingland, Ian McFadyen, Jeff Reilly and Michael Dominguez — Ventura's techno-band Zow and the heavy metal sounds of Notorious Saints also impressed the small but vocal audience. But it was the powerful harmonies and unique sound of the four Shoemaker Brothers that stole the show, earning the band victory and bragging rights at the inaugural Clash of the Tritons fundraiser.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/feb/19/rain-doesnt-dampen-clash-of-the-tritons/#ixzz1HaWetyzS
- vcstar.com
- vcstar.com (Ventura County Star)


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