The Flatbed Retrievers
Concerts on Bonnie Branch had the absolute pleasure of hosting The Flatbed Retrievers on Saturday, November 5th, 2005. I can honestly say it was best show I've hosted yet. Period. That's not to diminish the other fantastic shows I've hosted, but there's always got to be a best, and Amy Speace, Trina Hamlin and Jagoda have taken that top spot. The music was hot, the rapport with the audience was like long-lost friends, and the humor kept people laughing. (I tell you, when the ladies let Jagoda out of his cage, watch out! And who knew the guy sings too?! OK, backing vocals, but nonetheless, he sings! He did a great baritone on Double Wide Trailer.)
Amy has the kind of voice that can be sweet and innocent one minute, and edgy and sexy the next. From the necessary simplicity on Make Me Lonely Again, to the pain and sorrow on Shed This Skin, to the sultry, lusty on Real Thing, and the Hee-Haw-Honey Yee Ha! on Double Wide Trailer, Amy covers it all. Add a bit of twang here and there and you have a true Americana artist. And as I've said elsewhere, Amy has the way of writing songs that make you think she could just be writing about your life.
Trina, likewise, has a set of pipes on her. She's perfect for the Blues that she loves to play. Add a guitar and a harmonica to the mix and you get an all-around musician of the highest quality. Her energy and humor were contagious and her graciousness endearing. And the strength of her voice made the house shake like it's never shaken before. (She definitely reached the limits of the recording!) This being the first time I've heard her live, I guarantee she'll be a regular on my concert calendar when she's in town.
Jagoda's just such a fun guy to have around. He keeps the beat and adds to the group in so many ways. One of these days I need to hear him with Amy's entire band, The Tearjerks, or with his other project, Swamp Cabbage. I want to see him go to town on a full drum set. In the meantime, I hope he can play more venues with the Flatbed Retrievers where he's an equal third and gets to ham it up with the rest of them. I fully understand when he's supporting Amy that she's the headliner and he can't steal much of the spotlight from her. But Amy and Jagoda really are great friends and when they're just free-forming it together on stage, great things happen.
I really want to thank Amy, Trina and Jagoda for a fantastic evening of music and fun. And thanks to everyone who came out to support them! Best crowd I've had yet.
Trina's ready for the show
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Amy, Jagoda, me and Trina
Someone said something funny!
Carolyn joins the fun
Amy's ready for the show too... including a little foot stool!
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