Live Review: Reignwolf/J Roddy Walston and The Business – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
10 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on Live Review: Reignwolf/J Roddy Walston and The Business – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
The desolate three-hour journey from Memphis to Nashville seemed more like six hours as my heart fluttered with excitement. I was on my way to see two of my favorite artists for the first time. It would be a night filled with wild electric guitar, trickling piano keys and rowdy, untamed performances.
After arriving at Exit/In, one of Nashville’s seedier venues, an edgy rock and roll act out of Canada was about to take the stage. Jordan Cook, also known as Reignwolf, is supremely talented. His fingers are ethereal – almost as if they were sculpted and crafted with the specific intent to shred guitars and, yes, even electric mandolins.
I can’t put into words how utterly ridiculous this guy’s stage presence is. He was all over the stage, jumping around, moving from instrument to instrument. He shows off some legitimate multitasking abilities by playing the guitar and kick drum at the same time.
His thirty-minute set included a couple of cover songs and his single, ‘Are You Satisfied?‘ By the end of his stage time, which he shared with bassist/guitarist David “Stitch” Rapaport and drummer Joseph Braley, he was completely drenched in sweat. The crowd, quite understandably, loved him.
Next up was headliner J Roddy Walston and The Business. Fellow Tennessean J Roddy is like a modern day Jerry Lee Lewis – only grimier. I’m not using the word “grimier” in a negative way. The grime is good. It’s part of the band’s sound and aura. J Roddy’s heavy piano playing is unique and over-the-top awesome. He plays standing up, he plays sitting down, and he even switches to the guitar.
The bass line was booming, the drums were kicking, and the audience was intensely engaged. I can genuinely say that I enjoyed every minute of their performance, just as I enjoy every single J Roddy song. There wasn’t a person in the room who wasn’t singing the words, dancing to the beat, or simply moving to the sounds. It was a good old fashioned rock and roll show.
When I left, I felt like I needed a shower – in a good way.
Check out J Roddy Walston and The Business’ latest album, Essential Tremors.
Check out tour dates for both J Roddy and Reignwolf.
Believe me, they’re worth the drive – and the shower.
Liv Carter
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
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