RattleHead Records - The Sound of Rhode Island

Pele

Zox, State Radio, and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers Give A Valentine's Day Hug

Zox, State Radio and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers played a very special show on February 14. Interested? You should be.


	Released: 02.14.04
	Source: In on the What
	Author: Pele
	Original source link

While lovers exchanged sentiments and flowers on Valentine’s Day of 2004, the brokenhearted and the local music enthusiasts gathered in the cold in front of Lupo’s at the Strand, paying less than twenty bucks for what would be one of the most fulfilling shows the venue has seen thus far.

Opening act Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers have drawn comparisons to pop-oriented acts like Jason Mraz in the past. While the overall sound may be similar, Stephen Kellogg adds a layer of nuance and deft humor to his act that his peers rarely demonstrate. The songs were catchy and rhythmically solid, and he mixed in amusing stories between songs ( the crowd favorite was one about acting as an awkward chaperone for his younger brother, who spent the movie passionately making out with his date). They then blew through a disorienting but hilarious medley of Top 40 songs, including "My Love is Like Whoa" by Mya, "Hot in Herre" by Nelly, and several other equally hideous ditties.

Unfortunately, State Radio was not nearly as well received. They seemed to be equal parts Pearl Jam, Bob Marley, and Stone Temple Pilots - but less interesting. After delving into their catalogue of political rock songs, they still failed to get the crowd energized or even vaguely amused. While there were a few guitar solos and harder songs that showed momentary points of invention, one couldn’t escape the feeling that these songs had been done before, and better. It seemed as if the band was content to echo the voices of their inspirations, rather than forge their own. It wasn’t that State Radio was actually bad - its just that the glimpses of the better band that they could be made their act tremendously unsatisfying. They are a fairly new band, however, so perhaps time will see them develop their craft further.

After a fairly brief wait, Zox arrived in a fury of violin scrapes and rolling fog. They tore through most of their debut cd "Take Me Home" with reckless abandon. After opening with "The Squid" and running through a few familiar tunes, they changed up their typical routine with some new songs. One unknown was a song about a vampire that violinist Spencer Swain performed largely solo. They played a new, harder tune called "Thirsty" that has since become a favorite with crowds at most of their shows.

What was most noticeable about the band for those who had seen them before was their stage presence and technical facility. Whereas at their opening gig for Guster at WBRU’s Free Summer Concert Series last year they could be classified as an average reggae band with a very impressive violinist, all members are now confident and impressive in their own right. John Zox, bearing a strong resemblance to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, was the biggest driving force and his thunderous poundings created a rhythmic backbone for the rest of the band. Guitarist and singer Eli Miller has been clearly improved by the rigors of touring, and his vocals and strings rang out clearer than ever. Bassist Dan Edinburgh is one of the most proficient players of his instrument I have ever seen. While Spencer seems to be the star of the show, Edinburgh probably doesn’t get enough credit. He never missed a beat. He threw in phenomenally creative fills seemingly on the fly. And the sheer amount of passion he put into the performance drove the band ahead, pushing the crowd into a frenzy. At times he seemed not to be playing his bass so much as attacking it.

Between Stephen Kellogg’s antics and Zox’s musical wizardry, the concert had more than lived up to expectations. What the crowd didn’t know, however, was that in no way was this going to be a typical Zox show. First, Eli announced that a couple had come down from northern New England to see the show, and said that they wanted to make an announcement. A couple, holding hands, came up to the stage. As they approached the microphone, the man told the crowd of his love for his girlfriend, bent to one knee and proposed to the woman he loved. Zox then provided the music for the two to slow-dance on stage. They received a standing ovation. Only a few songs later, the band brought on the first of their guests. Eli explained that he was a friend of Zox, a student at Providence College, "and he plays a mean saxophone". He joined them for one song and took a few solos, impressing all attending. At the song’s conclusion, he simply took a small bow and left. Toward the end of the concert, the band was joined by Spencer’s sister (also playing violin) for the band’s unique rendition of Pachelbel’s Canon in D. To top it off, the lead singer of local emo band Holiday arrived to sing lead on a spiced-up cover of Bruce Springstein’s "Dancing in the Dark". By the end of the show, the crowd was ecstatic and nearly deaf. In a way, Zox caught many people off-guard. What had previously been a laid-back pseudo-reggae band with the novelty of a violin became something much more powerful and musically advanced. Since that show Zox has been touring all over the States, and finding acclaim everywhere they go. They deserve every bit of it. If you want to experience what this band has to offer, their CD doesn’t cover it. Go see them live.

	other items in this group
	Gunshot Wound / Lemon Lime Tennis Shoes' dual cd-release party, with Visual Pollution 08.23.04 by Pele (The In on the What)
		RI says goodbye to NK punks GSW, Lemon Lime Tennis Shoes sing songs of redemption, and Visual Pollution is really angry.
	Live at Lupos at the Strand: Badfish, M80, Racquetball, and Bad Larry. Don't you wish you had been there? 07.30.04 by Pele (The In on the What)
		A full house for local rock? You bet! Super cover band Badfish played Sublime songs at the Strand, and before that, Bad Larry, M80, and Racquetball showed all the hep cats how to dance the night away.
	Slugworth, Randy Pinto and the Galactic Boots, Shed, and Ruin the Ending 07.16.04 by Pele (In on the What)
		Pele reviews Ruin the Ending, Shed, Slugworth, and Randy Pinto and the Galactic Boots at the newly-reopened Green Room. Have a look.
	Big D, Streetlight Manifesto, and Slik Willy at the Call 07.13.04 by Pele (In on the What)
		Big D and the Kids Table played at the Call. Slik Willy and Streetlight Manifesto opened. Hear the legendary story of the most hardcore ska fan on the block.
	Zox, State Radio, and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers Give A Valentine's Day Hug 02.14.04 by Pele (In on the What)
		Zox, State Radio and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers played a very special show on February 14. Interested? You should be.