Will Cummins of Don Fredrick at The Strange Matter, Sebastien in the background! photo credit: Gessler Santos-Lopez Richmond-based hammock rock band "Don Fredrick" headlined a late Tuesday night show at The Strange Matter, Grace St., RVA featuring the sounds of three other Richmond based bands, The Bungees, Raintree, and Decide By Friday. The well-organized show was rewarding from start to finish, and Don Fredrick impressed the forty or so attendees around 11pm with their developed sound, and easy showmanship. Don Fredrick engaged with their audience, while maintaining deft, professional authority.
This comes as no surprise, since the band was clearly in their comfort zone. They have performed numerous shows at the small, bar-arcade venue, and this headline gig was attended by plenty of loyal fans who belted all the words to the band's bluesy, plaintive, pop-rock single "Moonlight." Some of these fans traveled from NoVa, where Don Fredrick members met in high school. The song isn't sad for any of these friends, who all, along with the frontmen, singer Will Cummins, and (especially) guitarist Daniel Flaherty, cried the lyrics with that hyperbolic pain caused by a corny (standard) premise and a refrain melody that's so good it hurts. Sure, everyone wallows in the corn-love-syrup, but the song and performance didn't want for substance. I like jam bands and Don Fredrick impressed me with the nuances of more than one talented musician who know how to play together. I caught a peek at the set-list before the show, and Don Fredrick didn't make it to their encore, perhaps due to time constraints. If that was so, I bet it was edged out by their extended jam on "Country Breakfast Shorty." This was my favorite song, taking me back to my favorite Tea Leaf Green sets during the sweet summers of my own high school days. Lead guitarist, Andrew Gionfriddo, had the licks and style to captivate the audience for much of this song, but I found that the band's overall sound was well developed for all parts. Keyboard, played by Sammy Snider, had a distinct voice; sometimes it was retro-synth, which coordinated with the 70's Southern-rock tone of Gionfriddo's solo. The result was palpable humor! These boys like to lay it on thick when it comes to the retro, and the sound. I mean, we even got 30 seconds of drums/space from drummer, Patrick Bowdring! Shining personalities made for a great audience experience. I was honored to be a part of the intimate audience of friends and bandmates. The audience made banter with increasing gusto, which was not directly acknowledged by the band in a big way, but felt so acceptable. There is a lot to admire in the sincerity of Will Cummins as he presents the band's music. He has an excellent voice, and holds his head high. Flaherty made a memorable impression. His comedic persona shone when he took the lead on vocals, singing some verses in perfect flat that lent swagger and soul to the upbeat tunes this band served up. My favorite moments were Manager/Bassist-of-the-evening Sebastien Ricard's early, well-delivered four-note solo, and then, when he took charge in gathering the band and wrapping up the final notes of the last song. Since I've seen the incredible, talented group, I'll stop "tsking" when Ricard misses our Friday night sport-ball practice, and assume he's working with these awesome dudes on some new material. I hope to hear more on this group's website: https://donfredrick.bandcamp.com/ Catch them opening for Uni and Starbenders on 2/9 at The Strange Matter, http://www.strangematterrva.com/ And enjoy a light-hearted, easy but complex sound. Keep on rockin' in the weary land, Don Fredrick, and thanks for sharing!
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AuthorWe are Kieran and Michelle, two 32-year-old William & Mary grads living in Virginia. Archives
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