Winslow performs at Musica, introduces new songs

Winslow, currently in writing sessions for its second album, shared a sneak-peek with fans at the Maid Myriad EP release party at Musica in Akron, Ohio on December 4.Given the option between setlist “A” or “B,” the audience selected setlist “B.” The soul-funk ensemble introduced new songs, “Stand up” and “Alone tonight,” demonstrating its versatility and the courage to mix it’s soulful sound with edgier rock riffs and a bit of Latin flair. Before the night’s end, the band slowed the set to play a few ballads and lighter tunes.

No Winslow show fails to be anything less than an auditory and visual treat. Frontman Maurice Martin delivered a chest-thumping performance but--note to the sound guy--his vocals seemed to get drowned out by the instrumental. Nevertheless, the man exudes passion when he sings, crying out every word like it might be his last. The emotion was electric. Resounding, it conducted across the stage. Charlie Trenta embodied the meaning of the phrase “wail on guitar.” Bassist Kevin Robertson and Keyboardist Curtis Tate carried each song on the low plucks of the bass strings and pulse of the keys. Matt Tieman embellished the sound with jazz notes on tenor sax and Mike Watkins held the beat on drums. There is no question why Winslow was nominated for Cleveland’s Best Original Band by fans and Scene Magazine this year.

Winslow was scheduled to open for gospel-R&B artist Robert Randolph & The Family Band at House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, December 10, but the show was postponed. Fans can catch Winslow at Reggie’s Music Joint in Chicago on Saturday, December 11, at 9 p.m. They will be opening for The Congregation.

F'ing Showboy flops at The Outpost

Set up and soundcheck can tell a lot about a band. At The Outpost on Saturday night, Showboy rolled out a large white bed sheet stating “Fucking Showboy” in black spray paint--a bit obnoxious. The lead vocalist’s sound check was a taunt to the wallflowers in the back of the room. The first song started with a few offbeat wails from the vocalist--confirming my original perception that this would be another band that has something to prove. The “singer” introduced the third song, "FLBJ," and commented that it did not stand for F*** LeBron James. I couldn’t tell one way or the other because the vocalist failed to annunciate any lyrics. After a few generic songs, the band surprised me with a somewhat like-able tune. The accompaniment was clean(er) and I could eek out a melody of sorts. The vocals improved. The band seemed to pull together as the set progressed. Overall, this band has a lot to improve on. I won’t be jumping at the opportunity to see their next show.

Autumn's Fall may rise in the future

Hard rock band Autumn’s Fall’s performance at The Outpost in Kent on Saturday, July 24, was energetic but lacked rigor. The musicianship was decent for the band’s sound. The vocals could use some fine-tuning. The back-up vocals were off key for most of the set, causing lead vocals to suffer at times. They had a humble demeanor albeit portrayed a hard-ass image. The frontman connected with the crowd and laughed it off when he realized he’d incorrectly introduced their second song. (The band should have just played it anyway. It was the third song on their set list.) The hope for this band is in recognizing the mistakes and fixing them in practice. I’m confident they will. I overheard the boys noting errors after tear-down. Overall, Autumn’s Fall had a great sound. I’ll look forward to hearing more from this group in the future.