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Damn these guys can play! Wish Dan could have been in this shot as well as Richie and Demian.
Okay, this is coming in WAAAAY late for when it should have been put up, but that’s life, right? On May 16, 2010 at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville, I had the opportunity to see Richie Kotzen play with his band – Demian Arriaga on drums and Daniel Pearson on bass. I had seen these guys play three times before in the previous year and every time was a treat. Now, to be honest, it was the second time I’d seen Richie and Demian play with Dan, as David Felize had played bass the first two shows I saw.
This show, however, was easily the best.
Now, as many already know, Richie Kotzen is one crazy talented dude. He can play guitar as well as anyone, sing as well as anyone, and writes killer songs. I’d be insanely jealous but for two things:
- I’m too busy digging the music and trying to learn from it.
- If someone’s great at something, don’t be jealous – black mark on the soul and all that – model what he or she is doing and do your best. Positive action is always the best.
But I digress. Ha!
So, because of Richie’s track record and what I’ve already seen, I’ve come to expect a stunning performance and a great time from him and his band. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Demian a bit and I’ll tell you this – the dude’s a truly badass drummer. You can tell he totally digs playing, too. All this, and he’s a very cool and positive spirit.
Richie kicked serious backside as usual, but that’s not the thing that completely blew me away. Nope – this time I have to say that if Richie hadn’t blown me away, it would have been his own fault and he’d have no excuses. It was Demian and Dan.
Yup, the rhythm section was absolute PERFECTION.
Plato wrote about Socrates’ World of Ideal Forms, in which the perfect representations of anything we know exist – Plato and Socrates said that we can never know these perfect ideals.
They were wrong.
Demain and Dan played drums and bass in perfect synchronicity. They were the ideal forms of the perfect rhythm section/groove/musical pulse. It was amazing and phenomenal. Any musician in attendance had to be digging the hell out of it. They were so tight they were musical Siamese twins. The kick drum sounded like it was changing pitch with the chord changes. And the thump made my shirt flap in time.
Ok, now for my point; as musicians we always hear and talk about how we’re supposed to play as a single unit. A number of instruments playing as one. In service to the song. Blah blah blah.
Well, the idea is totally dead-on correct, but this purity is rarely the case. Usually, we’re not as busy listening as we’re supposed to. Or we’re trying to show how cool and awesome we are. Whatever.
The synchronicity of purpose of a band – that tightness – is what separates the men from the boys, folks. The wheat from the chaff, for the PC among us. Wanna show how cool you really are? Ok, listen up and quite trying to show how cool YOU are!! Be cool as a band, and THAT will get you the respect of ALL musicians.
Sometimes we forget that we’re playing for people who came to hear the songs. I’m a guitarist, and I’ll tell you right now, we guitarists are incredibly guilty of overplaying and trying to show off. As a result, the song suffers. It suffers because we aren’t listening; we aren’t truly locking into the groove. The other band members feel it, and truth be told, we feel it, too. But worst of all – the audience feels it.
And that audience will invariably include other musicians.
Oops, so much for getting referred to that choice gig with the big name Mega-Artist. You know, the one that could make your career. Nope, no audition for the show-offs.
Sorry, got a bit too dramatic.
This part is hard. We all agree that we’re supposed to lock in together. We all know this intellectually. But do we know it in our hearts? Do we put this truly into practice? Well, Demian and Dan showed me that they do. Of course, Richie does as well. But that’s a bit different. I believe that Richie couldn’t do what he does as well without the foundation laid down by players like Demian and Dan – nobody can. We rely on the rhythm section (usually bass and drums, but also the guitar in bigger bands) to propel the music with the proper groove, and then everything else is on top of that.
When we feel that magic when we play, it’s because we’ve locked into the groove with the other players. Remember that, and lock into the groove – regardless of what instrument you play. You’ll love it and become a better musician.
Anyway, that’s my rant. Demian and Dan really made me understand the groove that evening like never before. Thanks to those guys.
Peace,
B
P.S: Demian recently scored a HUGE profile gig – because he’s the real deal and understands the groove. Think about it.
