The Eoff Brothers Band

Thursday September 29th, 2005
SPRINGDALE — The garage band is alive and doing just fine in the otherwise quiet neighborhoods of Springdale.
Several times a week, the streets are filled with the sounds of bar-room blues and devil-lickin’ rock ’n’ roll as the Eoff Brothers begin rehearsal for one of the biggest weekends since the young band first played together in February.
For many fledgling groups trying to get their names on the marquee, the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ festival in Fayetteville is a hub for the underground music world and can be a launching pad to larger audiences from far-away places.
The Eoff Brothers already have their roots planted in musical tradition in these parts as Justin and Josh Eoff are sons and nephews to a pair of notable members of the Cate Brothers — a relic of consistency from an established local group to playing arena stages. Mickey, the father, and Ron Eoff, the uncle, play drums and bass, respectively.
And while the Cate Brothers are expected to grace famed Dickson Street this weekend, it is the Eoff Brothers’ coming out party.
There’s Nate Hancock, 20, the bassist and lead singer on many songs, who is the dominant physical presence of the trio. Though not related to Justin and Josh in any way, Hancock is a dear friend to both as he and Justin grew up together and went to Springdale High School.
“He’s a brother from a different mother,” Justin said.
Justin, 21, brings a wildly controlled energy to the left-handed drums. He is vested with the gift of gab, always rolling out one-liners whether talking about music or razzing his younger brother.
And then there is the runt of the group, Josh. All of 14 years old, Josh, a freshman at Southwest Junior High in Springdale, plays the electric guitar with such confidence and accuracy, one wonders if he proverbially sold his soul to the devil. And if that is hard to believe, such a youngster who can pick and play behind his head and with his teeth as flawlessly as he can in a conventional stance, a trip out to Benson’s Bar & Que on Dickson Street tonight is a most worthy evening of see-it-to-believe- it.

In The Garage
“There goes the Po-Po,” Justin says from his drum set as the Eoff Brothers band breaks during rehearsal in Nate’s grandfather’s garage.
As 8 p.m. nears, the trio constantly look around the neighborhood to spot any police cars patrolling the streets. The day before, a neighbor had called in a noise complaint as the band played deeper into the evening.
“Hopefully the police won’t come,” Justin says, “and the people around here enjoy what they hear.”
From 7 to 8 p.m., the Eoff Brothers crank it up, playing at full tilt with Justin’s drums clattering, Nate’s bass thumping and Josh squealing the strings on the electric guitar.
The lyrics and rhythms of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and even an Eoff Brothers original can be heard for blocks as the three fine tune their sound for tonight’s Ozark Blues Society battle of the bands at Benson’s Bar & Que. It is a foursong shot to advance to a Memphis competition, a photo shoot and time in a recording studio.
On nights the band practices in his garage, Nate’s grandfather, Aurileo Santos, rises from his comfortable living room chair and makes his way to the dimly lighted garage, where he listens to his grandson and friends play, tapping his feet with the beat.
“I am old; I am almost 80,” Santos says as he raises his clenched fists to ear level like a bodybuilder. “They give me power.”
It is in Santos’ garage, clumsily decorated with moving boxes, a weight-training station, a large mounted fish and a series of cords and amplifiers strung around the surface, where the Eoff Brothers have built a strong chemistry, vital to a band’s success on stage.
From their opening gig at Fatty Hackers in Springdale to the long nights on Dickson Street, the Eoffs are a close-knit group.
“I don’t think you can find a tighter band,” Nate says. “The first time I played the bass was the first time Justin hit a snare.”
Justin adds: “You can have the greatest guitarist in the world, but if you don’t have a rhythm section together, it doesn’t work. Our communication is really good.”
The three communicate like a litter of puppies, constantly playing jokes on each other (normally Josh is the recipient) but also taking seriously the music they play.
“Dynamics is a big thing in music,” Justin says. “It tests you as a musician when you have to count the measures. It expands the horizons, and the sky’s the limit.”

Boy Wonder
Josh learned to play the guitar at around 6 years old and has increased his skill dramatically over time. While on stage it is easy to see his more-thanelementary understanding of the guitar as he strums with the beat set out by his brother or picks at the high-note strings.
When he speaks of his childhood idols, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix, an innocent grin and silly giggle lights his rather common stare.
He’s downright sp - by Dustin Dearman of The Morning News

GREEN BUT GOOD
DESPITE THEIR YOUTH, THE EOFF BROTHERS BAND IS FINDING SUCESS

by Kevin Kinder
Friday, February 16, 2007



The gear was packed, but 23-year-old musician Justin Eoff couldn't leave just yet for his Feb. 9 concert at Knucklehead's Saloon in Kansas City, Mo.

He had to wait for his bandmate and younger brother, Josh Eoff, who was riding the bus home from school.

Since forming in early 2005, when its youngest member Josh was just 14, The Eoff Brothers Band has proven its worth, Justin said.

"We've had to earn our reputation. We started and people were giving us no money to play. We had to prove to people that this is serious, and this is who we are," he said.

Despite one of their members' not being old enough to drive a car, The Eoff Brothers Band -- which includes 22-year-old bassist Nathan Hancock, drummer Justin, and guitarist Josh, now 16 -- has already made a name for themselves as one of the region's best blues bands ... and they have the hardware to prove it. The band has twice been named the best group at the annual Ozark Blues Challenge and twice represented the organization at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.

In 2006, the band made the IBC finals and could call itself among the 12 best blues bands in the world. At this year's competition, which took place Feb. 1-3, the situation was a little different. Placed in the same preliminary round as a band with a 9-year-old female drummer who charmed the judges, The Eoff Brothers didn't advance.

Still, the experience was positive, Justin said.

"Just because we weren't scored as well as we hoped doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. ... We left it all onstage. The audience still digs our music," he said.

The band members come from a long bloodline of local musicians. Justin and Josh are the sons of Mickey Eoff, who has played drums as a member of The Cate Brothers Band since 2000.

But make no mistakes about it, the music that The Eoff Brothers play is their own, Justin said. The trio has written a series of songs that will become their debut album, "Side by Side," which is scheduled for release by the end of March.

The band maintains a busy schedule that includes several local gigs as well as regional shows in the Little Rock, Denver and Kansas City, Mo., areas.

This weekend, the band will stay close to home with a 10 p.m. show today at Tony C's Off Dickson in Fayetteville and an 8 p.m. Mardi Gras party Saturday at Landry's New Orleans Cafe in Fort Smith.

In addition to those gigs, the band plays two sessions each week at the Well House Tavern in their hometown of Springdale. The shows take place from 8-11 p.m. each Wednesday and Thursday.

When Josh finishes his sophomore year of high school in May, the band plans to embark on a coast-to-coast tour that will last the duration of the summer, Justin said.
- Kevin Kinder Northwest Arkansas Times

With an enthusiastic crowd of appreciative blues fans in attendance, Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas held their annual Blues Challenge on October 18, 2006. The Ozark Blues Society holds this event to provide an opportunity for local unsigned bands and solo/duo artists to compete for a chance to be selected to represent Northwest Arkansas and Ozark Blues Society at the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge held each year in Memphis. The 2007 Memphis competition will be held February 1-3.

This year, as usual, the competition was heated. Though winning margins were clear, the winners in each category were followed closely by excellent musicians, sometimes separated by only a few points.

Representing Ozark Blues Society in Memphis in the category of solo/duo this year is the local duo, JC/BC. This winning team is comprised of Jeff Cumpton on guitar and vocals and Bob Coleman on harp and vocals. Northwest Arkansas should be very proud of these versatile artists as they represent us in Memphis with their heartfelt blues music.

The band chosen to compete in the 2007 International Blues Challenge is the popular young band, The Eoff Brothers Band.

These young men hail from Springdale and have been local crowd pleasers since they began performing in 2005. Their driving music is enhanced by the exceptional abilities of their young guitar player, Josh Eoff. Cranking out the rhythm behind Josh is drummer, Justin Eoff and bass player Nathan Hancock. The Eoff Brothers Band represented Ozark Blues Society at the 2006 IBC, placing in the top ten. Quite an achievement!
The local challenge is modeled after the competition in Memphis which gives the competitors a view of what to expect if they are selected to move forward representing the society. Everything from the stage backline set-up to the panel of judges and the voting criteria they use is representative of the experience the winners will have in Memphis. Even the excitement found in the crowd at George’s that night was representative!

Each Blues Foundation member society is allowed to send two acts to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis each year.
The two categories are band, and solo/duo. One of the great benefits to the winners is that through partnerships with local sponsors, the Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas sends the bands to the Memphis competition at no cost to them. It is the desire of the Ozark Blues society to assure that the best local blues musicians are given the opportunity to succeed, therefore helping the society further their vision of keeping the blues alive in Northwest Arkansas!

Stay informed of blues happenings in Northwest Arkansas by visiting Ozark Blues Society’s website at www.ozarkbluessociety.org.

Further information on the International Blues challenge may be found at the Blues Foundation’s website: www.blues.org
To find upcoming performance dates for the Eoff Brothers Band, visit: www.eoffbrothersband.com - Nightflying Entertainment