After more than 14 years of playing unsigned, Columbus-based band, Red Wanting Blue has finally hit the spotlight, including attention from David Letterman.
The rock ‘n’ roll band is scheduled to make its national television debut July 18 on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” but first its making a stop in its hometown.
Red Wanting Blue is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Friday at Newport Music Hall. Lead vocalist Scott Terry said that to the band, playing at the venue is like coming home.
“I always feel good whenever we get to come home to Columbus and to the Newport,” he said. “The Newport Music Hall has always felt to me like home and it’s always a lot of fun.”
The band is touring behind its new album, “From The Vanishing Point,” released in January, which is also its first album released under Fanatic Records.
Since signing with the label in 2010, the band has headlined in Norman, Okla. at the Norman Music Festival 5, and is scheduled to perform at Thornville, Ohio’s upcoming All Good Music & Camping Festival in July.
Terry said even though he still wants to remain in control of Red Wanting Blue, signing with Fanatic Records has helped the band’s success.
Regardless, Terry said the band is still doing what it loves.
“I just think that when it comes down to it, if it’s what you really want you have to stay the course,” Terry said. “It’s like what Willie Nelson said, ‘Ultimately the world has got to get around to guys like us, they can’t ignore us forever.’ I’ve taken that very much to heart when I heard that years ago. They can’t ignore you forever.”
Terry said fans can expect to see a passionate and genuine performance from the band at every show.
“I try to remain as honest as I can and perform our songs with the same passion and energy as was required of me back when the song was originally written, I believe that whether it’s two people in the crowd or 1,000, that this song needs to be delivered, and I’m there to deliver a story and tell that story,” he said.
Some of the band’s fans see this passion.
Matt Leininger, 27, of Columbus, who is attending the concert Friday, said he became a fan of the band when he saw it play in Bowling Green, Ohio, in 2003.
“Mostly I’m a fan of Scott’s writing. He puts together lyrics that really just make you feel like you’re a part of the song, and the way they all play together as a whole is just an unbelievable thing,” Leininger said.
“I feel that the people that are there to listen, deserve that, they don’t need a half a– version.”
Hoping people find some joy and self-realization from its music, Terry said the band tells stories of real-life experiences and struggles.
“If you don’t have something to say with your music, then I don’t know what you’re really doing it for,” he said. “And for me, unofficially it became our mission statement over the years that we can do it, we can do this whether we have help or not, so a lot of our songs and a lot of our struggle feels a lot to me like the modern-day telling of the ‘Little Engine That Could.'”
Ryan Andrews, a third-year in civil engineering, said his roommate got him listening to Red Wanting Blue two years ago and he’s enjoyed its music ever since.
“They’re homegrown and they seem just like regular dudes,” Andrews said.
Terry said his new goal is to make his fans proud and let them know it was worth believing in Red Wanting Blue for so many years.
“It gives a finger to the people that never cared, but more importantly gives a thumbs up to the people that did care,” he said.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
In an earlier version of this story, The Lantern reported that Red Wanting Blue performed on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on July 18. In fact the band will perform on the show on July 18, 2012. The performance has not yet happened.
