There was a celebration going on for National Record Store Day at Great Escape Records & Comics, and that included plenty of live music. Four bands were on hand to add to the festivities, and add they did. Each band was quite unique in style and substance and therefore provided a little something for everyone. Country, newgrass, progressive funk/rap, and perhaps a few styles that defy categorization were all presented for our listening enjoyment. And why not, since the store itself contains a wide array of all musical styles, from mainstream to eclectic, within their stock of recorded material on various media. So the program fit the bill.

Lee Harvey started off the afternoon of live music with his classic, but somehow up-to-date country style. With a nice, rich voice well-suited for crooning about the country staples of hard living, heartbreak, and true love, he takes you to a place you’ve somehow been before. But the music is fresh and the words are contemporary. Backed up by a full band consisting of several members of 00 the Rabbit and then some, the set was very solid and very entertaining. I have been meaning to catch Harvey for some time now and was pleasantly surprised. Now I understand what all the buzz I’ve been hearing is about. Harvey knows what he’s doing and does it well. I particularly liked “If I Were Johnny Would You Be My June”. Now you might think that sounds too similar to “If I Were a Carpenter” but I assure you, it’s not. I suggest you catch Mr. Harvey around town sometime (he plays often). Check out www.myspace.com/leeharvey for more info on show dates and hear some of his music.

Next up were the Farewell Drifters. I heard them at last year’s Newgrass Festival and knew ahead of time they would be great. This is an all-acoustic band (no electric, no drums) that can still put out a whole lot of energy. The songs are great, the vocals are well-tuned and harmonious, and the musicianship is impressive. Zach Bevill and Clayton Britt handle the guitars, Bevill sings lead, Britt and his brother Josh provide the backing vocals for the most part (some lead too), Dean Marold is on upright bass, and Christian Sedelmyer is on fiddle. The latter three really inject the newgrass into the sound. They can and did play fast and furious as well as gentle and slow, keeping things all so interesting. They will again be at this year’s Newgrass Festival, as well as at Arts on Main in Scottsville, both in August. Go see them. For info – www.thefarewelldrifters.com.

It was then Johnny Thompson’s turn to take the floor. He was ably accompanied by two of his students, Aaron Holder on bass and Sean Rice on drums. I really enjoyed this set because it included what I’d call some funked-up rap as only Thompson could interpret it (I could have sworn I saw James Brown lurking around somewhere). It seems someone else usually fills the rapping role and couldn’t make it, but Thompson conveyed the idea (and feel) quite well. Rice was pretty impressive on drums and Holder, known as a pretty darn good guitarist around here, rounded out the rhythm section on bass. So there were quite a few energizing moments throughout this set, right through to the last song from Thompson’s recent CD “Horrow”. The track is entitled “Twenty Eight Masterpieces”. You can find this CD at, of course, Great Escape Records. Johnny’s site is www.myspace.com/johnmjohnnythompson.

Another band I’ve wanted to see forever played today’s final set. I had no idea what 00 the Rabbit sounded like before today. But for some reason I thought they would be really heavy (like metal). I guess that might be because they play Tidballs a lot and I hear lots of heavy stuff there. So don’t judge a band by it’s’ venue. Yes, they rock, but they also jazz a bit, experiment a lot, and keep things ever so interesting. There are good rhythms, nice keyboard sounds, vocals that are all over the place, varied guitar styles, catchy tunes, and the trombone doesn’t hurt either (nice touch). The MySpace states that 00 the Rabbit is a solo project of lead vocalist and bassist Russell Brooks (so I assume he writes most of the material). Ryan Doughty also plays bass (when Brooks switches to guitar) and that trombone. Andrew Guilaran provides all those niceties on keys, and Adam Williams is on second guitar (and plays quite a bit of lead). I liked just about everything, but “Judas Blues” stood out for me. It was also cool how they switched gears from country with Harvey to whatever it is they do as 00. If you missed this and want to hear them, pick up their latest CD “Gourd of Bees” (I did). Their MySpace is 00therabbit. They also play around a bit so go see them live and pick up the CD at one of their shows.

Don’t forget the host for the day, Great Escape Records and Comics. It really is a great store and you never know what gems you might find on any given day. Go on down and browse awhile. And next time they have live music make sure you check it out. It’s always an adventure.

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman