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GRAHAM COLTON BAND You could sense the difference as the Graham Colton band purposefully strode into the venue. This band is on a mission. They’ve just finished recording their first major label release and they’re obviously eager to tell the world all about it. The band’s excitement – and a noticeably harder-edged sound – were evident as they treated a dedicated Sunday night crowd to a setlist containing a selection of old favorites and no fewer than four new songs.
The band has obviously benefited from studio time with acclaimed producer Brendan O’Bierne. "Cigarette" (a tune co-written with BTE’s Kevin Griffin) kicked off the show. It’s always been a rocking live song, but it’s even more so now. It’s a tighter and more polished track and makes an excellent opening number. The band quickly followed up this opener with harder versions of favorites "Summer Stars" and "Save Me." "Summer Stars" shines even brighter with the addition of lap steel guitar, courtesy of guitarist Drew Nichols.
Colton thoughtfully apologized to local fans for having to drop a local John Mayer/Counting Crows gig from their summer tour plans. He explained that studio scheduling conflicts were to blame, but as recompense, he then introduced a new composition named "South" to which he contributed a particularly catchy acoustic guitar riff. Next, the multi-talented Ryan Tallent (bass) added some keyboards to a slower and soulful rendition of "Waking Up." Yet another merit-worthy new song, "Sending a Note," followed next.
After a jazzed-up version of "Accident of Youth," the band offered up another new song – "Cut." Another Kevin Griffin collaboration, Colton noted the delightful song was about a friend who helped him through the tough times of his parents’ divorce during high school. In a switch, the very talented (and appropriately named) Ryan Tallent returned to the keyboards while Drew Nichols donned the bass guitar. "Cut" is a classic rock ballad that could conclude any prom dance. Listening to the song, I couldn't help but think the song needs a mirror ball. Or, in the words of BTE's Kevin Griffin. |
Fiery renditions of standard Graham Colton tunes "Jessica" and "Killing Me" gave way to what may be the first single from the band’s forthcoming album, entitled "Don’t Give Up On Me." The song is a veritable guitarfest that features Brian "Turtle" Turton, Drew Nichols, and Colton playing guitar in unison at a breakneck speed. Like all of the band’s tunes that night, the song had a solid hard-hitting backbeat provided by drummer Jordan Elder.
A consistent, but varying, feature of any Graham Colton show is an acoustic break of sorts. Typically, Graham and a selected band member will get together to play an acoustic version of one of their songs. This night, this acoustic interlude (if you will) closed out the show. A quite a propos way to end a show at such an intimate venue as the Glenville Spot. Fans were treated to a rendition of the melancholy "Best Thing" performed by Colton on acoustic guitar accompanied by Drew Nichols on the lap steel guitar. The lap steel is welcome addition to the band's arsenal.
Colton next introduced fan favorite "Matthew." The song is a tribute to dear friend who died in a car crash two days prior to Colton’s first gig. Although never properly released, versions of the song available on the internet and are cherished by fans. He might be a little embarrassed by the poor quality of copies out there, but Colton nevertheless is happy to oblige fans who request the song at shows. Brian "Turtle" Turton replaced Nichols on stage for the last number of the night, the gut-wrenching "This Time." A joint Colton-Turton composition, the song features a slow and rhythmic acoustic guitar that holds high emotional lyrics about the pain of a leaving a lover. The song provided a haunting conclusion to the band's performance. The Glenville Spot audience were treated to a very satisfying show that seamlessly blended new, old and unreleased material. Fans new and old got Graham Colton's message loud and clear and they are just as eager to hear and share the new album, as the band is to release it.
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