VALERIE MUSSON
Special to The Leader
The first weekend in October means fall weather is officially upon us. Students who were able to brave the dropping temperatures and howling wind to head down to Ellicottville Brewing Company for a night of Savannah & The Kings certainly did not regret it.
In addition to an opening set from the Kings’ lead guitarist Mark Bamann, and a short performance from guitarist/vocalist Drew Xavier Richter in between sets, the wide variety of genres heard throughout the show made Friday night at EBC a night to remember.
First on stage was Bamann. He brought his own unique style with him, in which he displayed his flexibility as a musician. He played flawless riffs over funk and blues jams, instantly getting the audience’s attention and keeping it for the remainder of his set. He seemed so relaxed and comfortable on stage; it was clear that he was in his element. But a talent like Bamann’s doesn’t just come overnight.
“I started [playing guitar] in tenth grade. It’s literally only been about seven or so years,” said Bamann. “I started when I was 16. I went to community college and studied jazz guitar, and it pretty much just took off from there. I practiced every day, that’s all I did.”
There was only a light crowd at the beginning of the night, but Bamann’s performance drew in plenty more listeners, just in time for the main event.
Consisting of vocalist/acoustic guitarist Savannah King, lead guitarist Bamann, upright bassist Scott Gergelis and drummer Loren Metzger, Savannah and the Kings have perfected its one-of-a-kind sound and turned it into a versatile style that has something for everyone.
It’s light and upbeat, and frankly, it’s impossible not to enjoy. The band’s use of the upright bass only adds more originality and flair to their music, and the deep sense of expression heard in King’s vocals and personal lyrics makes the band a force to be reckoned with.
“We formed the band about a year ago, last September …,” King said about the band’s beginning. “We actually started recording our album before we even played our first show. I had all these songs, and we just kept getting together to rehearse, and they’re so talented that they got it down, and we were ready, so we went in and started recording and booking shows, and here we are.”
The band played 10 songs during its first set. Among them were original tracks from their album, “Bold & Unsteady,” while others were covers the band put their own unique twist on, making them into something completely different — “Scarlet Begonias” by Grateful Dead, “Tangled Up in Blue” by Bob Dylan, and “Down to the Valley,” a traditional American folk song, to name a few.
Afterward, the band took a short break to regroup. During this time, Richter, a guitarist/vocalist with 15 years of experience under his belt, took the opportunity to share his talents with the eager ears of Fredonians. His acoustic sound and soulful vocals were similar to that of The Kings, but his style had a bit more of a reggae and blues vibe to it.
“I was just doing a little break set for them. I’m obviously friends with the whole band and everything,” Richter said. “If I have a gig, sometimes I’ll have Savannah come up and play too … I’ve wanted to play here for awhile, so it was cool to share a little bit of the set. It’s a cool place.”
After a short break, the Kings returned to the stage to finish out the night with a bang. They had seven more tracks lined up, and by this time, the bar was packed full with listeners hungry for more. The highlight of the night was the final song, a wonderfully catchy and uplifting cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor,” an early 2000s pop classic. The band’s rendition had everybody up and moving more than ever before. The energy was so high that almost everybody was dancing; some even looked as if their lives depended on it.
Needless to say, the audience’s reactions were universally positive.
Dunkirk resident Grace Winters said, “I liked their music. It seemed casual but very nice, very professional and very well-rehearsed. It seemed like it fit EBC really well.”
Paul Sottnik, senior music education major, shared similar sentiments.
“They’re very charismatic, and I love their energy,” said Sottnik. “Even though they have a thin timbre, they really bring the energy so harsh and it’s really, really wonderful to just lose yourself in their sound.”