Greyspoke
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Greyspoke

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"Greyspoke Jam Band Crazy"

Greyspoke is a Jam Band from Burlington, Vermont who I first heard on the Heavy Syrup podcast. Listening to them makes me homesick and missing all that is good in Vermont bands. I know one thing-if I was in Vermont I would be attending one of their gigs.

Now I’m not saying they’re the next Phish - but you might want to keep that thought in the back of your mind if you’re considering going to one of their shows. Afterall, they are a jam band, they’re playing the same venues - like Nectar’s and even have included Phish’s bass player Mike Gordon as an influence on their Myspace page as well as Zappa who is also an influence of Phish. I can hear why they’ve listed the Grateful Dead, too.

The guitar and bass are incredible along with the drums keeping a wicked pace with all the jamming going on. If they’re this good through computer speakers, then I can almost guarantee that their live show is even better.

Check out Greyspoke’s music on Myspace right away if you are in need of some serious jamming:

www.myspace.com/greyspoke

They’ve noted on their website that they’ve played venues like: Riley Center for Perfoming Arts - Manchester, VT, Bennington College, SUNY Potsdam, University of Vermont (Cook Commons and Redstone), Nectar’s -Burlington, VT, Club Metronome - Burlington, VT, Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire, and Higher Ground - Burlington, VT. Try to get to one of their shows if you see that they’re playing around these areas!

By: Jenny May - August 9, 2006 at 12:53 pm by bandweblogs, By: Jenny May


""A quick run down from what I observed." (On 12/31/05 at Higher Ground. Burlington, VT)"

"You all have very solid underpinnings to take this band as far as you want, in my view. I have seen countless bands and I have been to 100's and 100's of concerts ranging from rock legends to dive bar bands. I know what plays and what falls flat. You all definitely play and have the essential elements that took Phish where they went, but you have enough looseness or flexibility to not fall into the 'perfection' trap they set for themselves. As I see it you are best analogized to pre-1992 Widespread Panic (2 guitars, bass, drums). When Panic added JoJo Hermann on keys in 1992 they really took off, in the depth of their sound and in their exploration of their 'standards'.

I have to say, though, having listened to and accumulated 1000's of hours of live music, including early Panic, that you are all way ahead of the power curve for your age and for this stage of your professional careers.

What I saw in your performance were 3 key ingredients that give the best performers their longevity and success :

1. Raising the energy level / intensity from the first note to the last, but not obviously so.

2. Being tight enough to deliver predictable punches while leaving enough space (musically, instrumentally, and sonically) to grow within your material and explore the inner lines of both the music and your live sound (Phish suffered from their inability to reconcile these on a constant basis, in my opinion).

3. Having material that is original enough to stand out and stand on its own, but familiar enough (in a root way) to draw in the casual listener hearing it for the first time. This applies equally to core compositions (as you might lay down in studio tracks) and to your live performances of the same."

Tyler Patrick Nixon.
Attorney At Law
Admitted: Delaware & California

Accomplished Audio Technician
and Legal/Business Consultant for Band Promotion.
- Tyler Patrick Nixon


"In The Studio with In The Studio With Greyspoke"

Posted: 4/8/08

When anyone goes downtown to see a college band on a Friday night, there is always one thought on their mind: "I really hope they're good."

Granted, the idea of what's good and what isn't, varies from person to person, but when it comes down to it, it's a college band, and there are certain elements that are absolutely essential.

When I went to see Greyspoke perform at Nectar's on Friday, April 4th, I had these elements in mind.

Number One: Are they tight? Yes. Mike Wheeler (vocals, rhythm guitar), Jamie Heintz (drums), Rudy Kiburis (bass), and Rob Eaton (vocals, lead guitar) have been playing together since they were in high school, in Manchester, VT. Better yet, you can tell by listening.

They sounded as though they were well-rehearsed, together and had carefully planned out the setlist. At times, Wheeler and Eaton harmonize on lead vocals, a feat not many college bands can pull off, even among the relatively small number who actually attempt it.

Eaton's guitar solos are well-placed to build the intensity of the songs, and impressively, there were even a few well-executed bass solos from Kiburis.

There was no other conclusion to draw except that this is a band that works hard to play well.

Number Two: Are their songs original? Yes. When I talked to the band during their short set break, My first question was, "Who would you say are your major influences?" The response came quickly: "The Dead, Zappa, Pat Metheny, etc."

Pretty lofty names, but still, every one could be heard through their songs, not to mention a swampy, pulsing drum sound vaguely reminiscent of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Adding the aforementioned harmonies, the equation comes out to a fairly distinct sound that I hadn't expected when I first headed down to Nectar's.

Number Three: Does the band have personality? Yes. I think this can be chalked up to their longevity as well. They played their first gig at Nectar's in 2005, and have had plenty of time to develop a dynamic among the group members.

Even on the small stage of Nectar's, their three-man front provides enough room between them to move around some, and to get into the music, which in such an intimate space translates easily to the crowd.

Number Four: Do they have a point? Yes.

When I spoke to the band, I couldn't help but ask a question that, admittedly, isn't easy to answer: "What are you trying to do with music?"

The fact that I got an answer at all from a college band, is a good sign - to get a good answer is worth noting. "We're not trying to be some hippie jam band," they said. "We're trying to make the music more wholesome, keep it about the music."

Not an answer you'd usually hear from a college band playing at Nectar's, a venue long associated with hippie jam bands.

Number Five: Do people come and see them? Yes. Even on a rainy night, Nectar's was pretty much packed.

More than that even, everyone was paying attention, dancing and responding enthusiastically to the band.

Even during a couple of slow songs, the floor remained full, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The earlier performance, Lewis Rapkin and Unit X, brought a fairly large crowd as well, and nearly everyone stayed for Greyspoke. As the night went on, the crowd grew and grew.

Number Six: Will they stick around? Probably. This is a band whose members have played together for more than four years - how many other Burlington bands do that?

Sure we see some stay together for a year or two, but even bands who see a reasonable degree of success don't usually last this long.

In this case, that's a good thing. An original college band is a pretty special thing and deserves any respect they get. But what it really comes down to is this: on Friday night, Greyspoke played to a large crowd and everyone left with a smile on their face.

In the world of Burlington bars and college bands, what more can we really ask for? © Copyright 2008 Vermont Cynic - The Vermont Cynic


Discography

"Jameson" and "Waltz on Gibraltar'' are played on 102.7 FM WEQX which broadcasts from Albany, NY and Manchester, VT.

"Jameson" is the first track on Illumina Records' "Burlington Rockers For Life" compilation.

"Lenz Groove" has been played on the Heavy Syrup Podcast.

A Winter '08 Demo is getting airplay in Vermont and Boston, with songs, "Azure Eye," "Babushka's Demise," and "Frozen in the Rim."
Breakthrough Radio plays the entire demo on their "Jam Sessions" show 4/18, which can be heard at the following link: http://www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?show=3611

Several live shows are available for free streaming and download on www.archive.org

Photos

Bio

In their fifth year as a band, Greyspoke is becoming a well-known name in the music community of Vermont and a variety of Northeastern music scenes, blending a unique mixture of hard rock, jam, and funk. With this fresh sound they are quickly establishing seeds for a large fan base, with gigs from New England to Ohio, including upstate New York and NYC, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and up and down Vermont, where all four of the band’s members grew up and started jamming together. Last summer they held a residency at Nectar’s in Burlington. This summer of '07 they made their way out to Gratefulfest at Nelson Ledges in Ohio where Rob Baracco joined them onstage during their set between New Riders of the Purple Sage and Umphrey's McGee. Upon returning to Burlington, Greyspoke supported Tea Leaf Green in the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge for a sold out crowd. They have also shared the bill with Dark Star Orchestra, the Josh Dion Band, Assembly of Dust, Porno Tongue, The Zen Tricksters, and The Bomb Squad. Greyspoke features Mike Wheeler on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. He lends his music writing skills to many of the songs, and writes the lyrics for all of the band’s original material. For a few songs, he leaves the bulk of the words unwritten, and instead improvises the verses and melodies live. On lead guitar and vocals, Rob Eaton gives his all and is proving to be a guitarist to watch in the coming years. His distinct style combines subtle jazz slinks, soulful bluesy screams, and scorching hard rock fretwork. On bass and vocals is Rudy Kiburis, who throws his metal expertise and raw stage energy into the mix to add a true variety to the group. On the other side of this rhythm section is Jamie Heintz on drums and vocals. He does not play the standard drummer role of the ‘jam band drummer.’ Jamie roars on the kit while harnessing and driving the rest of the band. Their influences vary as much as their music, culling inspiration from artists such as Frank Zappa, Pat Metheny, Tower of Power, Jerry Jeff Walker, Les Claypool, Little Feat, Iron Maiden, the Grateful Dead, Mountain, Wishbone Ash, and many more. Their eccentric mix of influences and love for the new music they are making creates a unique ebb-and-flow feel that carries the audience and the band to a higher level of musical arousal than most bands of today. Preferring terms like "cosmic powerjam" to "jam band," you can tell the difference in the music. Greyspoke puts a passion and emotion in their music that is finding them a favored place in the music tastes of fans of all ages, musical backgrounds and genre preferences.