Anyone watching The Next Great American Band?

Cafe Society
1

I did a search to see if there was a thread on this show, but it doesn’t appear that anyone has started one. Is anyone watching?

I’m actually pretty pleased with the results of last week’s show–I thought The Hatch and The Likes of You were both boring and derivative with lead singers who were not as hot as they think they are.

I’m guessing that Rocket (yay!) and The Muggs (boooooo, even though they did suck last week) are going home this week. After that, who knows? I want Franklin Bridge to win it all, but I like all the remaining bands after that, with the possible exception of Dot Dot Dot. And the 13-year-old metal kids make me laugh and laugh, but I love to watch them. I also like that the judges are getting the nads to say negative things now–it seemed like Bob Dylan week was too much of a lovefest.

At any rate, this is a good way to tide me over until AI starts.

2

I love Franklin Bridge. I was sort of half watching until they came on. I closed my notebook and really listened.

It’s funny how “Paula-ish” Sheila E. seems.

3

I’m really liking the show, because the quality of the bands is so high. With the exception of the all-girl band, they’re all pretty good (if you account for age for the 12 year old metalheads, who aren’t very good but are awesome for their age).

The Clark Brothers are fantastic. I love Denver and the Mile High Orchestra. Sixwire is very good, but a little too polished. I even liked ‘Dot Dot Dot’ this week, and I hated them last week.

I think the girls should have gone before either of the two bands that were actually kicked off.

Sheila E. comes across as the smarter, more sober Paula Abdul.

4

I really hoped this show would take off, because I’ve been hoping for a “band version” of Idol for years. I’m usually not home on Friday nights, though, so I’ve only caught one episode (Bob Dylan), which was decent. The quality of the music is pretty darn good, which should attract viewers, but Friday night is such a bad timeslot. Why aren’t they trying harder to promote it, when they could potentially have an Idol-sized hit? I mean, the Clark Brothers are sooo hotter than Clay Aiken. :slight_smile:

5

I sort-of watched the 1st episode - mostly because the ads said that any kind of bad could audition. I was hoping a good but unusual (barbershop quartet, Peruvian flute, etc) band would advance. They did show a snippet of a polka band (the clip indicated they werne’t very good).

But I haven’t watched it since.

Brian

6

I’ve semi-watched the first hour or so the last couple of weeks. (I’ve been watching Women’s Murder Club which comes on at 9). So I’m not familiar enough with most of the groups to comment specifically.

I admit to rooting for the All-Girl Band on the grounds that they are girls and I wasn’t sure I noticed any girls in any of the other groups. (I don’t know that I actually heard them perform, so it is certainly possible that they don’t deserve an extended stay on the show).

I was intrigued by Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, but again didn’t see/hear enough to judge their performance.

7

There are two girls in Dot Dot Dot.

Denver is rockin’ it tonight–I’m watching it time-shifted. They keep saying he looks geeky, but I think he’s really hot, in a Tom Hanks sort of way. They’ve improved quite a bit.

I’m surprised with how well people are doing with the Billy Joel theme so far.

8

Anyone still watching? Tonight, the bands played Rolling Stones songs.

To me, the guys that keep blowing me away are The Clark Brothers. They are just amazing. The energy they bring to each song is just fantastic. Tonight they sang “Gimme Shelter”, and I literally got goosebumps watching them. Last week they blew the doors off the room as well.

To me, the main contenders are The Clark Brothers and Sixwire. The next tier would be Denver and the Mile High Orchestra. After that, “Dot Dot Dot”, Light of Doom, and Tres Bien, all of which are interesting but flawed bands. I’d probably give Light of Doom the nod over the other two, simply because of their age and ambition.

Tres Bien should be the next group out.

9

Sixwire has got it locked up, IMHO - technically good and that country crossover sound that people like. But I have the most fun watching Denver and the Mile High

10

I agree that The Clark Brothers are the best musicians, but as a band they need drums.

11

I was suprised to see Franklin Bridge go. Light of Doom is wild. I have a friend in a succesful Metal band, he has played Monsters of Rock and done several arena world tours and Light of Doom kicks his bands ass. I just wish they didn’t make every frickin song sound like an Iron Maiden cover.

Treis Bien better be the next to go. I like the Mile High Orchestra but they need a better Denver. Dot Dot Dot would be better if their singer would settle down and focus on the singing. I thought the advice was right on, he needs to command attention not beg for it. SixWire is ready for the record deal they will get. The Clark Brothers need a drummer and maybe even a piano or keyboard.

12

Light of Doom needs a singer. And lots of maturity. Not just age, but study of music. I suspect that they didn’t “up the key” because the plain ol’ couldn’t.

13

I agree. While I don’t think they should win I am amazed by their stage presence and their ability considering their age. However, they still seem like imitations of bands whose videos they obviously watch repeatedly. Nevertheless, I guess nostalgia makes me like them. I was in a rock band in jr. highschool but we were not nearly as good. Frankly we sucked, but it is cool to watch someone living the dream. And if these kids keep practicing and take their music seriously they will be musicians to watch in the future. I just hope they will find their own style and stop being so derivitive or imitative. I would like to see them find success on their own not just wash out as a good Iron Maiden cover band.

14

The Clark Brothers don’t need a drummer on the show, because then they wouldn’t be the three brothers. I imagine that if they actually tour and have some money behind them they’d get a percussionist or two to fill out their sound, but who wouldn’t be part of the band. Think Dixie Chicks.

In any event, I think they are the best band there. They play with an incredible amount of force and passion.

One thing I found out last nght was that Denver and the Mile High Orchestra are actually a Christian band. Which explains the Goo-Goo Doll guy’s comments that they should have sung ‘bitch’ or the some other sleazy song. He was being an incredible dick.

15

Okay then. I guess I missed a fundamental premise of the show. (I admit that I have fast forwarded through much of the non-performance material.) If the judging and voting is based upon potential rather than what’s there in front of us, it could change a lot of things for me.

16

What are you talking about?

17

I have been watching, but mostly because of my interest in seeing a band version of Idol rather than because any of the groups are blowing me away.

Very sad to see the bluegrass band go, they were the tightest musicians there, but I would not be a bit surprised to hear from them again.

As for who’s left:

The Clark Brothers - are now the tightest band in terms of musicianship. If this were about sheer talent, they’d be the ones to beat.

Denver and the Mile-High Orchestra - Won’t win, but if any celebrity is looking to do a new late-night talk show, they could do a whole hell of a lot worse than hire these guys as the house band. The crispiest horn section I’ve heard in many a day.

Dot Dot Dot - I was getting a serious Keith Partridge vibe from Adam, the lead singer, during the Stones cover. Not good. And their name is already derivative of another indy band who’s finally making some noise, !!! (chk chk chk) Rose is a cool guitarist, though.

Light of Doom - I spent years teaching music at a summer arts camp. I have heard literally dozens of bands of thirteen-year-olds play metal. They all suck (and just to be a star-fuck for a moment, one of the guys in those bands was Nick Zinner, now of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who sucked HARD as a young teenager.) These guys, for all their roughness, are better than any of the ones I saw could hope to be. They are going places, even if they don’t win here, because they already have some good chops the dedication that others sometimes don’t scrape together until their twenties.

Sixwire - Talented, will make it to the final, but god are they dull.

Tres bien - God I hate this band. What the hell are Franklin Bridge and Rocket doing off and this suckfest is still on?

18

After last night’s episode, it’s becoming clear that the competition is between Sixwire and the Clark Brothers.

It was Rod Stewart night, and the Clark Brothers turned in a heart-rending performance of “You’re in my Heart”: Youtube link. This appeared to really choke up Sheila E., who had to compose herself before she could even talk. Best performance of the night.

Sixwire rocked a good cover of “Hot Legs”: Youtube Link. I think these guys probably perform this song regularly on tour, so it was tight as can be.

After these two, the quality drops a notch.

My 3rd favorite was probably Dot Dot Dot doing Young Turks: Youtube Video

Anyone else still watching?

19

I just caught up on my DVR today and watched it.

The Clark Brothers were again amazing. The thing is, they really know how to do a cover well, but their originals didn’t have that same “oomph” (back when they had originals on this show). I do hope they win.

Dot Dot Dot is fun and can’t help but think of the 80s alternative-pop and thinking that John Hughes would add them to his next soundtrack.

I don’t get the appeal of Denver and the MHO. It’s technically good music, but leaves me with such a bland, soulless, muzak-at-a-Perkins, feeling that I just can’t get into. Part of it is the lead singer.

20

I thought that needed to be said, again. Except I am not so sure that their muzac is technically that good. I have seen as good or better on stage at amusement park theme shows. And what the hell was that about the lyrics being to raunchy? Come on.