14 Jul 11

"...get your kicks on Route 66..."

Hey, blogspot readers, SouthSide's rockin' down a historic piece of Americanna along with her new friend, Grayson, from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. This Aussie singer/songwriter's undertaking an extraordinaary tour across America following the original motorway from Chicago to Los Angeles known as Route 66. His "66 Days on Route 66" tour will be more than just performing gigs at each of his scheduled stops but help promote a different side of the US to Australians ...perhaps inspiring some to "...take the road less traveled..." and see other places besides New York (in which Grayson likens to Sydney).

Though in the beginning stages of his tour, Grayson has so far visited Rockford, IL and Bloomington, IN (as well as downstate Champaign, IL) after spending a couple of days in Chicago which included performances at Red Line Tap (located in Rogers Park) and Elbo Room. When interviewing this artist at Elbo Room, SouthSide asked him to describe his road trip thus far. He replied "...[it's] really cool ...I'm doing all of the driving..." stating he loves Chicago and "...the friendly people..." For him, this tour is almost like going back in time to discover the historic sites and places as well as meeting people (like SouthSide) and hearing their stories along the way. Plus Grayson views it (the tour) as a "...rite of passage..." that he says "...[the] journey will live with me forever..."

During the course of the interview, SouthSide asked Grayson what was the one song should fans listen if unfamiliar with his music. His answer - track 1 off the Chronology album - The Rock 'n' because it's "...radio-ready with catchy hooks and [rhythms] ...can get into your head..." The song, blogspot readers, is about "...compromising..." to which he says "...it's something a musician ...everyone can relate to..." the lyrics. The live version of this single, already getting airplay in Australia, featured a powerful display of Grayson's vocals sung in acapella range during his short Elbo Room set. Also performed were songs The Runway (track 12) and Time Machine (track 13) that showed off his take on the American folk/rock genre as well as his smooth falsetto style that pumped emotionally charged vocals into his songs. Grayson's voice has a way of making the lyrics move beyond as mere words to be sung ...they became so sincere and believeable to the ears while within the acoustic surroundings. He does touch on the heart strings at times especially when performing the song Listen - one could clearly hear a bit of vocal angst and frustration while giving off that general feeling everyone should just shut up for a second and listen. Also recommended for listening is his song Fed Up - expressing the heartfelt lyrics amidst a lively tempo yet played very vigorously.

SouthSide then wondered what he hoped to gain from this extraordinary tour experience. Grayson stated it would introduce the American public to a bit of Australia and its musicians especially him since he has a goal in mind. This talented singer/songwriter wants to a piece of that American dream, blogspot readers, and make it here as a professional songwriter. Being very curious what's happening in the music world beyond Chicago's boundaries, SouthSide asked him what's the local scene like in Newcastle to which Grayson answered "...Newcastle has the most musicians in Australia ...live music every night however they're cover bands..." also adding that "...Sydney and Perth has good local scenes too..." One of these days, this reviewer will have to make the journey down under and visit all of her Aussie friends as well as check out the music/art scene too.

Grayson is documenting via video his "66 Days on Route 66" (in which include footage of SouthSide's interview with the artist) in hopes of being picked up by a major or community network. Fans wishing to know or keep up on the latest news as he travels should visit http://www.facebook.com/66daysonroute66.

For more information about Grayson and his music, visit http://www.grayson-music.au or http://www.myspace.com/graysonau.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide