Article by Casey Bowers. Promotional Photo by Meghan Ralston. Live Photos by David Heasley.
Admit it! You like to be rocked. And not just in an ironic or post-ironic way.
We’re talking balls to the wall, shake me, take me and rock me all night long monster riff rock with catchy choruses and verses with the cool parts left in.
If so, George Elliot Underground got what you’re after. A little something whiskey-soaked, a little something dirty with some history behind it. Something classic.
Classic. Their sound, their vibe, their voice, their story – Hell, even their name – classic.
A dirty word on the lips of most hipsters, scenesters and blogosphere whores, George Elliot Underground (or GEU) wear the “classic” label proudly like an arena tour patch from the iconic true blue rock n’ roll bands they grew up on and love so well.
So, yeah. They’re well studied in the language of Capital R Rock n’ Roll – and lucky for us true rock fans, they’re happy students.
British Invasion staccato beats. Swirling and whirling Haight-filled psychedelic-tinged flying solos. Rolling thunder bass lines. Swampy, muddy, sexy struttin’ blues rock. It’s all there. Even the often inebriated but always on frontman channeling everyone from Jagger, Plant, Fogerty, and Morrison (or even Followell and Auerbach).
They may be camped out in the garage or banging ‘round the bars but they’re a tight unit.
GEU exhibit some powerful, respect-generating arena-sized monster riff muscle with radio-ready sing-along choruses that flow down easy and are hard to get out of your head.
And it’s no wonder.
Music mainstays of the scene with long,-storied, deep ties to local legends, leaders and pioneers, they’ve been brought up right with a strong sense of community and an even stronger sense of who they are.
Definitely the cool, funny and crazy guys you’d want to hang out with. And chances are, if you come to a GEU show, you’ll get your chance. Just don’t expect to remember a thing afterwards.
