Show Preview: EP Release Show with Hot to Trot, Rockwell Family Dinner, Goldenbear / April 17 / The
By Abbie Doyle, Editorial Director
The Smiling Skull Saloon / Friday, April 17, 2015
When asked what kind of movie the band Hot to Trot would soundtrack, Dylan Sams’ reply is rather specific. “It’s going to be a two-and-a-half hour film about the absurdity of life, illustrated by a car pulling in and out of an alleyway in 10-minute intervals, five minutes in between coming and going. The car will be driven by a dog named Rob Thomas and the last shot will be a sunset with a fast approaching thunderstorm.”
What does it mean? Well, it’s hard to say exactly. You’ll have to pull the drummer aside and ask him yourself at Hot to Trot’s EP release show this Friday at the Smiling Skull. And there’s no wiggle room if you miss your chance for illumination--after this show, the band isn’t quite sure when it will be playing next.
Sams and Ryan Gabos, Hot to Trot’s guitarist/vocalist, were also faced with a deadline of sorts at the beginning of this school year. Friends since their freshman year, Sams and Gabos frequently kicked around the idea of making music together but never entirely followed through. Now seniors, they knew it was now or never. As a result, they finally solidified the two-member band and have been playing gigs in Athens this past year.
“For me, it was just a matter of looking at how much time we had left,” said Gabos. Sams was drumming for Friends in Distraction and Gabos operated under the solo moniker Sotta Voce. After the graduation of FID’s main songwriter, Sams became much more available and the two realized the time was ripe.
“At The World Is [a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Agraid to Die]/You Blew It! show at the Union [this past September] we both were chatting about playing together,” explained Gabos. “Dylan’s plate was relatively empty; it hit us pretty quickly that there was nothing in our way and it was as easy as, ‘What are you up to this Saturday?’”
The jams simply fell into place after that. Gabos had a few riffs of his own that he hadn’t expanded on and then presented them to Sams, who created accompanying rhythms. Since it’s just the two of them and their musical chemistry, the songwriting process was relatively quick. The result is an EP and a release show in conjunction with Rockwell Family Dinner, another Athens’ band with its own brand new EP to unveil--It’s the Most Important Meal of the Day!
Rockwell Family Dinner is comprised of cousins Matt McDonald (bass/vocals) and Sam Regas (vocals/guitar), with pal Michael Robenalt on drums. RFD’s focus is on creating shows that are a blast to experience, and Robenalt predicts the show on Friday will be loose and fun. “Release shows always run the chance of taking themselves too seriously. We’re looking to counteract that by any means.”
According to Regas, attendees should expect to hear “fast songs with lots of hooks, big guitars and shout-along choruses. Songs about Ohio, songs about coming of age...” When Hot to Trot takes the stage, fans should expect a considerable amount of sweat and energy.
The show this Friday is going to be a rocking good time, and just in case you aren’t quite sold on attending --Rockwell Family Dinner will have unique hand-made drawings on each EP-containing bag dispersed at the show. Celebrate the end of the week with fun, energetic bands and go home with your own unique piece of art--not to mention two EPs from two great local bands.
