Goodbye Tzimakos

April 18, 2015 @ Kyttaro Live Club, Athens, Greece

Mr. Highway Band and The Big Nose Attack together at the 6th Music Highway Festival

I first went to the Music Highway Festival two years ago to see Dustbowl play their own stuff (instead of The Johnny Cash Tribute) and Penny Dreadful who had played after The Western Ramblers back in 2013. That's when I was introduced to the music of the headliners Mr. Highway Band and got hooked ever since. I went again this year because I always wanted to see them at the same festival with The Big Nose Attack. (I had seen both bands on the same night before at The Big Nose Attack gig at Gagarin last year).
The opening band was Drunken Gramophone which was a new discovery for me. Two years ago I had been introduced to 4LT. whose members (well, at least a couple of them) I spotted in the audience this year.

Then it was the turn of The Big Nose Attack launching directly into Yeah! (That Girl) and playing songs from all three of their albums including the obligatory "Foxy Lady" and "Wild Cherry"

Finally, Mr. Highway Band came on. On the first part of their set they presented their new, third album "The Rebel Artist" for the first time in Athens (I distinctly remember "At The End Day" from the 2015 festival). This presentation featured many special guests the most impressive of which had to be singer Georgia Poutous. 

Then it was on to the second part featuring songs from their previous albums including "Story Of My Life" and "Revolution". The highlight of the night had to be the moment when the singer picked up a girl to dance with him on stage so that her boyfriend could come up and propose to her!

It was over by 1:30 am but I had time to stock up on CD's and badges from the merchandise stand...

Live in Athens, April 2015

April 18, 2015

April 24, 2015

After the Leon Of Athens gig @ Gazarte (details on my next post), I stumbled upon Mr. Highway Band playing next door @ 45 Moires and seized the opportunity to get in and buy their first CD, which I didn't get a few weeks before at the 4th Music Highway Festival

Dustbowl (and more) @ the 4th Music Highway Festival

Having already seen Dustbowl on their Johnny Cash Tribute Show I wanted to see them again, playing their own songs this time. The 4th Music Highway Festival last March was a perfect opportunity for that. Little did I know that I would discover 2 other bands as well, 4LT and the hosts Mr. Highway Band. (Penny Dreadful I already knew from their gig with The Western Ramblers. That was not the only connection with that band. One of the guitarists from Dustbowl and the drummer from Mr. Highway have also played with them in the past).

First off, starting as I was getting into the venue were 4LT. The first thing I did though was go to the merchandise stand to pick up the Penny Dreadful album which I've wanted for a long time. Then I was able to sit back and enjoy 4LT. A bit on the hard rock side, but they sounded good to me. So much so that I started thinking of going back to the stand in order to get their EP.

Next up were Penny Dreadful, the band whose sound is much closer to Dustbowl who I had come to see. It was nice to be able to watch them play probably a fuller set than the last time and give them my full attention.

 

Then it was time for Dustbowl themselves starting off with their latest single "Suicide Avenue". 

They played their own songs (what I really wanted to hear on the night), including some from their forthcoming album "The Great Fandango". Plus some great Rolling Stones and Clash covers.

While waiting for the hosts, Mr. Highway Band, to appear, it was back to the merchandise stand for me. Now, I already had all the Dustbowl CD's and the Penny Dreadful one I had bought earlier. So I got the 4LT. EP and I thought I should get something from Mr. Highway Band, they were the hosts after all, right?. They had two albums for sale, prices were good, but I didn't want to spend too much money, so I got their latest one "Story Of My Life". The funny thing was that at that particular moment the stand was manned by the Penny Dreadful singer. I hope he wasn't disappointed to see me buying almost everything except his own band's CD!

Finally, it was time for the hosts, Mr. Highway Band. They played a full 2-hour set. And although it was already late and people started leaving (I was tired myself and with an injured knee), I stayed until the end. I particurarly noted how catchy the title track from their latest album was and I liked them so much I regretted not buying their first album as well. Within a month though, I stumbled upon them playing at a bar, on my way home after another gig and I bought it then!

Well into the morning hours (it was the night we changed to daylight savings time), I left Kyttaro Club carrying several new CD's and thinking that I will probably be attending this particular festival next year...

As an added bonus, the guy who filmed the Blues Pills gig was also there that night and once again he filmed the whole show. So, sit back and enjoy!

SoundtrucK (With The Western Ramblers - Part 2)

SoundtrucK are a southern rock band from Greece. They even played support to Lynyrd Skynyrd when they played in Athens last year. And back in January, to celebrate the release of their CD, they threw a special live party at Kyttaro Club in Athens with many guests from the Greek rock scene.
Opening for them were our favourites of this blog, The Western Ramblers with a different setlist from the usual

After The Western Ramblers, SoundtrucK took to the stage, first playing songs from their album...

...and then the real party started, with losts of covers and friends invited on stage, including singer Eva Sakellari

And the best thing of all...Free entrance!