Saturday November 9th we’ve put a power line up together for you. Prog Rock Madmen Marbin return to Lefty’s and are bringing some friends – Ben Delaurentis/ Dead Emperors/ The Maw.
9pm – $10
Marbin – is a progressive jazz-rock band based in Chicago, IL, with a unique story that stands out in today’s music world. With a do-it-yourself approach, Marbin started touring in 2011 and has played over a thousand shows since, bringing their original instrumental music everywhere in the States that they could book a show. After well over a thousand shows and more than 20,000 albums sold, Marbin has gained thousands of devoted fans all over the worldwide. Marbin has released five albums with Moonjune Records: Marbin (2009), Breaking the Cycle (2011), Last Chapter of Dreaming (2013), The Third Set (2014), and Aggressive Hippies (2015).
In addition to their regular schedule, Marbin has toured with Allan Holdsworth’s trio with Yellow Jackets’ bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Virgil Donati of Planet X, as well as Scott Henderson’s trio, which included Mike Clark and Jeff Berlin. Marbin has also recorded and performed with drummer Paul Wertico, (Pat Metheny Group), bassist Steve Rodby (Pat Metheny Group), percussionist Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon), Wayne Krantz, and more.
The Maw – “The Maw are an incredible live band, and I have to admit, I am proud to know that they are from the Des Moines area. I hate the label of “Jam Band”… I think it sends out visions of sandal-wearing hippies singing funky melodies in between structured guitar and drum solos… Not that there is anything wrong with that… It’s just that I have been there, and that scene has worn thin with me. The Maw certainly do not apply to that form of music… But I think a Band that Jams might be a good fit. Half way through “Chora” the first song in their set, I am thinking to myself, Dem boys be smoking some funky stuff.
They actually caught me off guard… I wasn’t expecting to be that entertained.
Who do they sound like? Well if you ask the band, they will tell you Miles Davis, Cannibal Corpse, Pink Floyd, and The Mahavishnu Orchestra, to name a few. That’s quite a mix, and if you throw in what I heard, you’d have to add pockets of Supertramp, Jethro Tull, King Krimson, and Sundial. I couldn’t help but wonder how a band could be influenced by so many, and yet defy categorization. To put it simply, the only band that sounds like The Maw… Is The Maw.”
Dead Emperors – is a 4-piece rock/metal band from Iowa City, IA. The band formed as a trio in 2014, writing heavy, stripped-down metal, originally as Larson (bass/vox), Eric Dirks (drums), and Evan Chadwick (guitar). The group released their self-titled, debut EP in 2016 and put out a music video to promote their first single, “Panta Rhei.” Over the next year and a half, the band’s sound evolved to include more layers and psychedelic textures while maintaining it’s original heavy feel. The result was their second release, the “Ancients” EP.
After a year-long hiatus, the group re-emerged to play the 2018 Grey Area Festival in Lone Tree, IA, with a full length album in the works and it’s fourth member, Claire Thoele (bass/vox), changing Larson over to guitar to fill out the current lineup. The album, “The Beast,” is set to be released in late 2018/early 2019. This album expands on the melodic aspects previously explored on “Ancients” and while exploring themes of the coming apocalypse brought on by false prophets/lying politicians.
Ben Delaurentis – is a singer-songwriter from Lynchburg, Virginia whose warm tones and heartfelt lyricism create an authentic, intimate experience for the listener. Liar for a Muse is DeLaurentis’s debut solo album after releasing three records with his band Steal The Prize. Almost every instrument is played by the artist, and it’s charming, homegrown quality gives it a mood similar to that of Paul McCartney’s Ram. The ambitions and the songwriting are both completely serious, but the execution is loose and vibrant as he delicately perches himself somewhere between scripted and improvised.