The smell of patchouli oil filled the air as dreadlocked, middle-aged folks wore their patchwork pants while sipping on Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The vibe was set for a grateful night, as Melvin Seals and JGB were set to play Putnam Den on Sunday, March 2nd.
Opening the night from Hartford, Connecticut were the Balkun Brothers. Their unique style of powerful blues, fronted by lead guitarist Steve Balkun, mixed sounds of Joe Satriani and Jimi Hendrix, an ability shown by few guitarists today. The shredding that came from every song left the crowd wanting more, and more is what they got. Showing their diversity the band also delved into a few funky songs, further proving they weren’t a one trick pony. This was even more evident in their closing number, “Fire”, by the aforementioned Jimi Hendrix, leaving the crowd in good spirits and ready for Melvin Seals and JGB.
When Melvin and crew took the stage, everyone, including the band, was more than ready to get things rolling. They opened with the Rolling Stones classic, “Lets Spend the Night Together.” Dave Herbert’s guitar emulated the sweet harp-like harmony of Jerry Garcia perfectly. Herbert’s high pitched, fast-paced playing was a new twist that brought his unique style to JGB. The backing vocals of Shirley Starks and Cheryl Rucker were in perfect harmony with Herbert throughout the night. This rang true on the Van Morrison classic “Crazy Love,” serving as a perfect addition to an already flawless song. At this point, it seemed as if the man of the hour, Melvin Seals, was holding back; that all changed on “Get Out My Life.” Seals took the first solo and he meant business. The whining from his organ sent the crowd into a frenzy, dancing harder than they had all night. Everyone was ecstatic, but no one more than Melvin, as he sat up on the stage smiling and laughing along with everyone. The key to the whole band was the patience and steadiness of bassist John-Paul McLean and drummer Pete Lavezzoli; these two always held the jams together even when the music seemed to be heading nowhere at times; this was pure brilliance. The rest of the night followed suit as the band went through JGB favorites, “Run for the Roses,” “Cats Found Under Stars,” and “Ain’t no Bread in the Breadbox,” all played note for note and as brilliant as the originals.
This group has dedicated their careers to honing in the JGB sound and they do not disappoint. Although Jerry may be gone, his memory and music will live as long as Melvin Seals and JGB are playing shows like this!
There are no special orders with Daemon Chili – what you hear is what you get. And what you get stems from the true core of Dion’s songwriting. After making a difficult, yet self-respecting decision to part ways with his Hot Day at the Zoo brethren in August of 2013, Daemon Chili became Dion’s premier musical outlet. Yet it’s been stewing for some time now – originally formed as a solo-side project in March of 2012, Dion created Daemon Chili to feed his hunger for more diverse musical tastes. The burly, hoot-n-holler edge Dion brought to the Upstate roots/Americana scene was beginning to fade from Hot Day’s signature sound, and if Dion wished to stay true to himself as an artist, he needed to blaze new trails. “When I left the band [HDATZ], I was ready to turn the page and start the next chapter of my musical career,” notes Dion. “I knew that I would be going for a bigger, more aggressive sound, and as far as I’m concerned, this is the way my music was always meant to sound.”
Drawing on a select group of highly acclaimed and talented musicians, Dion unearthed his roots to get the full flavor profile he was seeking in the creation of Daemon Chili. “I went back to my college days at U-Mass Lowell where I was first exposed to great live music played by guys who had a lot of experience over me,” reflects Dion. “These guys were ripping up the Lowell music scene, and so, naturally, they became my mentors.” Specifically, there were two bands that had a profound impact on Dion in those days – the aggressive sound of rock n roll legends, Cotton Mouth and an instrumental jazz/funk quintet with, as Dion puts it, “a rhythm section straight from Hell” known as The Freelance Bishops. Together, members from these two groups make for the complex flavor that is Daemon Chili.
And while the talent of these monsters certainly add spice, heat, and texture to the band’s sound, the heartiness is in Dion’s songwriting – old familiar tunes coupled with new tales of inspiration are the meat and taters absorbing it all. With Daemon Chili, the mixture’s just right, and it’s clear that Dion’s hit a sweet spot. In the short-time since the band’s inception, not only have they been nominated for “New Act of the Year” at the 2014 New England Music Awards, but their debut full-length album, Rise Up is set to release Saturday, March 22nd at Johnny D’s in Boston, MA with an online pre-release date of March 17th.
The album switches gears with the last five tunes, moving away from ironed collars and finely- tuned acoustics to electrics, aggression, and dirty-rotten blues. Recorded live at the Stone Church in Newmarket, NH on New Year’s Eve, these tracks feature the current Daemon Chili lineup (Giannaros excluded) and showcase new arrangements of old-favorites, “Gypsy Moon“ (Long Way Home) and “Boston Blues” (Zoograss), alongside fresh material. And despite the shift, if there is one thing to be said about Dion, it’s that he’s a poet. His English credentials aside, the lyrical content of his work offers a subtlety to his unapologetic nature – a spirit that is clearly emulated in the musical artistry of Daemon Chili.
Another note-worthy track, “Blood Burning Moon,” is a metaphor for the shit in life – for the heaviness that brings you down, yet it offers a way to push through and traverse. While listening, one can’t help but wonder if, in the third verse, Dion’s singing about the Hot Day fellas when he sings “I’ve come into the dark at the edge of the wood… and here and now must choose… between turning my back on my brothers for good… or leave the cross-roads singing the blues.”
For more information on Daemon Chili, including information on how to purchase Rise Up, please visit their 
