Columbus has a chance to spend an educational Earth Day with an evolving musical success story – the local band The Shantee – at the Newport Music Hall tomorrow night.
The band has invited several environmental groups, including curbside recyclers Rumpke and the Ohio Public Interest Research Group, to set up booths and distribute information about environmental concerns.
The fresh sound of The Shantee’s five mid-20s musicians is uncharacteristic of any genre in Columbus’ music scene. The band’s sound is something to dance and relax to at the same time.
This refreshing band has been celebrating the success of their second album, “Hydration,” released last summer following its 1998 debut “Lands Unknown.” Every song on this record provides a different mood.
“I like this album a lot because every song is different, each with a different setting in mind,” said guitarist Matt Morton. “The first song, ‘Outside,’ gets you going and ready to get up and dance.”
The record takes listeners through an array of diverse sounds leading all the way to the relaxing earth tones of the final song, the title track “Hydration.”
“Their music is as diverse as humanity itself,” said Eric Eldridge, The Shantee’s spokesman. “They are not trying to be different nor generalized. They are just doing their own thing and having the time of their lives doing it.”
Acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keys, drums and a soaring voice are the devices used to create the sounds of The Shantee, but the real artistry lies inside the men behind this energetic ensemble.
It all started in a small dorm room at Denison University in 1995.
As Morton and vocalist Mike Perkins jammed in a dorm room, they discovered they were able to captivate an audience. As they play music together, a small crowd gathered to listen. As the crowd began to grow, future bandmates, drummer Shane Frye and bassist Ward Scott, grabbed their instruments and decided to join.
Eventually, they were shut down by campus security, but what they took from this experience developed a lasting friendship that began The Shantee.
Keyboardist Randy Browne joined the band a few years later.
The Shantee is without a record label or corporate distributor, but that has not stopped merchandise and record sales from gradually increasing over time.
The Shantee gives off a positive vibe during its live performances, combining immense energy with a surreal feeling.
Bring dancing shoes and strong vocal chords to the show to keep up. Audience members have been known to find themselves singing and dancing, even first-timers.
Fletch will open for The Shantee at 8 p.m. tomorrow in the Newport Music Hall. Tickets are $8 at the door.
