Crane

The rain cleared just in time for Crane to take the outdoor stage at Terrapin's Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 21. Terrapin added two extra beer dispensaries to accommodate the larger crowd, which included all ages from college students actually returning to school and those who were there just to hear some good music.

Crane took the stage and cooled off the field with their soul/rock songs as the sun was setting. The band, which includes Anthony Crane on vocals, Daniel Collins on guitar, Justin Sims on drums, and Caus Morman on bass, opened with catchy "Pretty People." Guest rapper Showstopper impressed the fans with his freestyle dedicated to Athens. The crowd particularly enjoyed the acoustic covers of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" and Bill Withers' "Use Me."

The Atlanta band was recently formed in November 2009. "Daniel owns our label Pigpen, and we all kind of came together through him," says Crane. Each member brings their own style to the sound, Crane's husky voice is a rare find, Collins and Morman shred on the guitar and bass (even with a broken strap) and Sims adds a hop-hop beat on the drums. While their funky beats will keep you bobbing your head and singing along, Crane puts it best by simply saying, "We get nasty on stage."

The Terrapin taps had their usual brews on draft, including Rye Pale Ale, Sun Ray Wheat, Hopsecutioner and Hop Karma IPA, but also had new and seasonal beers, including Hopzilla, Pumpkinfest and Double Rye Pale Ale. People stood in line with their tickets to get a taste of their favorite variety in their take-home Terrapin glass. Terrapin tickets are $10 and is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, rain or shine. They also give free tours of the brewery to learn more about the beer-making process.

Whether you go to hear a great live band, bring your dog for a stroll, drink finely crafted beer or play a game of cornhole with your friends, Terrapin Brewery is always a good time, especially when a band like Crane is providing the soundtrack.

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- examiner.com

There is not much in this world that is sweeter than listening to live music, especially if said live music is pretty damn good. Thursday night at Smith’s Olde Bar was pretty sweet as Neil Cribbs, Anthony Crane and Kevin Rowe put on a jam fest in the Atlanta Room for those of us who made the choice to come check them out instead of sit at home and watch the new season of Wipeout. There was no over the top fanfare, no smoke and mirrors, no big productions, no fancy effects, just three dudes hanging out and having a great time. For almost three hours, they played music, sucked down beers, traded barbs and chatted up the folks who were there to consume their words and music.

While they each have different musical styles and backgrounds, the trio perform seamlessly together on stage. There was neither a show opener nor a show headliner; they all performed together, switching off doing their own tunes and joining in when it felt right. They fed off of each others tunes, and as the night went on their performances got stronger.

Neil Cribbs, an Atlanta transplant by way of Wilmington and Boone, NC, rolled through songs from his album Marionette. The songs “Mollie” and “Last Train” which highlight an album of great tunes take on a whole new life live. On the record you can hear the passion and soulfulness in Neil’s voice, but live, when you can see it, the songs are taken to a whole other level. He also introduced some new songs from his upcoming record, “Wayback”, which has a bit of a bluesy feel to it and “Busking”, an upbeat tune dealing with musicians making a living on the streets. The new stuff will be greatly anticipated by those who dig Neil’s music. This night Neil was on his game, his vocals were sharp, his guitar playing was smooth and he plays one hell of a kazoo.

Anthony Crane, an Atlanta native, is best known for his band Crane, and their southern, hip hop, funk rock hybrid music that they play so well. Tonight it was just him and his collection of guitars, and he was still able to pull off some serious funk, mainly due to one hell of a voice. He played some tunes from Crane, some solo material and some songs written by a close friend who has passed. The songs ranged from funkified party rock n roll like “Pretty People” to deep meaningful stories dealing with personal events and people in his life. While he is a good guitar player his deadly weapon is his voice, it is smooth and it is the life of his music, and in the intimate setting of the Atlanta Room it was money.

Relocated to Atlanta from England, Kevin Rowe and his piano pop styling rounded out this trio of musicians. When I first listened to his album 10AM I thought it was OK, I put it away then came back to it a couple of weeks later and realized it was a lot better than I originally thought. Songs like “The Waiting”, a personal tune about his wife’s busy schedule, “Feel Good” which makes you do just that, and “Singing Like A Rich Man” anchor a strong record of tunes, and on this night they were mixed in with some new tracks which he will be recording post haste. He flat out owns the piano and can make it do whatever he likes, manipulating the notes to intertwine with his voice and lyrics creating the right sound for his songs, and on this night his songs sounded pretty damn good.

This full night of music also included an array of cover tunes that were all over the board. Tunes by the Beatles, Woody Guthrie, The Band, Otis Redding, Killers, Michael Jackson, Citizen Cope, Marc Cohen and even Lady Gaga found their way into the set list. These guys nailed each and every cover, putting their own stank on them and not just performing karaoke. With that said I want to make a point to say that while a good cover tune pleases the crowd, as these did, and I dig them as much as the next dude, their original material was by far the highlight of the night.

From start to finish this show was a night chocked full of some sweet ass music. It was less of a show and more of a group of friends hanging out in a big living room listening to some tunes. Cribbs, Crane and Rowe’s interaction with the audience was natural, not forced and was a big part of what made the night so enjoyable. I am pretty sure this is the only time I have ever seen a musician ask an audience member for one of their onion rings. They definitely need to make this type of gig a regular thing, maybe even record one of them. I’d buy that record. These guys play all over Atlanta and the south, so if you get a chance support some local musicians and check out some of their shows. I also want to give a thumbs up to Smith’s Olde Bar for once again showing they are out to help local musicians by continually giving them a place be seen.

Oh yeah, the audience member with the onion rings, not only did she part with a ring, but she offered up ketchup to go with it.
- examiner.com