One of the greatest pleasures we have here at Team GDW is the discovery of new bands and new music. It does not matter if the artist is fresh to the scene, or a long-established act that simply has not landed on our listening radar, we are always keen to experience great music in a live environment.
As part of a recent ‘double header’ event at Motel Chelsea in QC (an amazing venue, complete with authentic era-appropriate decor and great staff), Kingston, ON-based band Dead Root Revival became our latest discovery – and did we ever strike gold with this quartet.
Comprised of Tom Savage (guitar/vocals), Tony Silvestri (keyboards/vocals), Richard Piche (bass/vocals), and Bonz Bowering (drums), the band offer up a vibrant mix of timeless roots rock, progressive rock, blues, and even a little jazz. With their sound dictated by strong guitar-driven rock, Dead Root Revival showcased their tight cohesion and natural on-stage chemistry all evening and are easily one of the finest jam bands we have encountered on our music-going adventures to date.
“It’s great to be back here,” Tom offered after heating up the room with a pair of opening tracks (heating, not warming – this band came out swinging and HOT). “Those first two songs are new, and hot off the presses.” “And so is this one,” Richard interjected. “Not being pressed anywhere, for years to come,” Tom responded. “But here’s another one…”
Following these three unreleased tracks, the band would draw briefly from their older material (“An Angel Rose”), before sharing some cuts from their latest album, “The Controller’s Exam” – released just over twelve months ago, and recorded in Athens, GA with esteemed producer David Barbe (R.E.M. / Drive-By Truckers). Launching into the riff-heavy introduction of “Poverty Line,” the band would follow with the ‘spacey’ “Wormhole / Solitude” and “Trillions Of Stars” from the album.
What truly stood out for me over the course of the band’s one hour set was the apparent ease of their timing changes, key shifts, and the precise instrumental banter between Tom’s lead guitar and Tony’s Hammond cues. Seated just a few feet directly opposite Richard, it was amazing to witness his mastery of the bass – and believe me, he was doing so much more than simply holding down a groove. But earning most of my attention was Bonz, back there pounding the skins – and leaving me pondering how the guy who could have easily convinced us as being a college professor when walking in figuratively turned into Animal from The Muppets back there behind the drums (I mean as a compliment – Bonz performed with an uncanny ferocity all evening whilst offering plenty of candor in his mannerisms and commentary).
Returning to the older material for their final hurrah, Dead Root Revival wrapped up with a solid performance of “In The Past,” complete with a solo moment where Bonz pounded those skins one more time as everybody watched on in appreciation. A fabulous evening of music, and a band now firmly locked into our listening library. We’re not going to snooze on these four guys – and cannot wait for another opportunity to enjoy catching them in concert once again. Note to self – next time, remember to buy their merchandise!!!
Set List:
- Out Of Sight
- Less Than Greater Than
- Gotta Sleep Sometime
- An Angel Rose
- Poverty Line
- Wormhole / Solitude
- Trillions Of Stars
- In The Past
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
