05 Feb 13

Hey, blogspot readers, come walk the red carpet with the rock star of the local scene! Besides rockin' the carpet, SouthSide's networking and mingling with other Chicagoan industry and professionals at this extra special event held inside the legendary Alhambra Palace Restaurant (located within the heart of the West Loop neighborhood).  It was an honor to be standing in the same room with professionals from the fashion, TV, film, music, dance, sports et al industry while attending the Pre-Grammy Awards Music Entertainment Networking  party sponsored in part by Germaine Moody Events. The fabulous ...glitzy event brought out many to interact, connect and re-connect as well as get acquainted with new faces. Usually this type of event is reserved for those in Beverly Hills, CA however the wonderful people at Germaine Moody decided to bring the all of fun, glamour and featured local music talent to Chicago.

Robbie Gold performing

SouthSide had a fun time mingling and meeting others in the local music industry like Lo Rene of D Vision II  Entertainment and Oscar Warren, Jr. (talk show host, music teacher, singer/songwriter) of D'Luvv Records who was promoting another artist, Loretta Lee, and her Billie Holiday show. This reviewer hopes to interview as well as review this artist soon for a future On The Town feature. During the height of the event, SouthSide was able to snag an exclusive with the teen band, RebelMann who won the Chicago Music Award in 2012 and also recently performed at Rock-n-Roll Fantasy Camp Las Vegas in October. The band, brothers Clayton (front man on vocals), Johnathon (guitar/back vocals) and Bryce (drums/back vocals) along with their mom and manager, Julie, were excited and quite humbled to be nominated again in 2013 stating "...it felt really good..." How they got to be at Rock-N-Roll Fantasy Camp was a stroke of luck, blogspot readers. They had nearly completed a tight 9 show (amazingly within 4 days) in Nashville when a represent of R-n-R Fantasy Camp asked mom if they would like to be a part of the weekend adventure. To hear it from the young lads of RebelMann, they were still excited about staying at the fab MGM Grand Hotel by saying "...it was mindblowing..." to this reviewer. They loved the buffet and met rock legends like Rudy Sarzo (whom SouthSide hears is teaching Miles Schuman who wants to join the band as their bassist), Gene Simmons (who according to RebelMann was blown away by the talented young group), David Fishoff (who highly endorses them) and many others.

The biggest honor for this band came when they were invited to open at the legendary Whiskey A Go Go for LA Guns and was asked to return on New Year's Eve to open for the same band again. According to mom, Julie, "...[it seems] I've birthed a band..." yet did add "...it's crazy..." since she's learning firsthand with some back up support from friend Rudy Sarzo and Bruce Kulick (of Grand Funk Railroad) what really does into making a band successful especially in today's social media universe. She's learning how to handle web design to legality issue while being grateful for having such support. SouthSide asked the guys where would they like to perform next to broaden their fanbase. They said they would like to play at Metro, Taste of Chicago and of course the big dance - Lollapalooza as well as the neighborhood festivals like North Halsted Market Days ...anywhere they could be heard as a band.  "...any gig is a good gig..." says RebelMann after describing their shows to this reviewer as "...powerful loud exhilerating entertaining and engaging..." For now, the band is focused working on a debut album that will feature 5 to 6 of the band's best songs after deciding which ones to record out of 12 to 13 songs. SouthSide is looking forward to seeing the lads rock the stage soon at an all-ages event (hopefully) at Metro or Reggie's Rock Club sometime soon but in the meanwhile, she urges blogspot readers to get acquainted with this rising teen rock band by visiting them at http://www.rebelmann.com.

After the exclusive interview, SouthSide also checked some of the local talent featured for the night's festivities and highly suggests checking out the upbeat rhtyhmic, alternative/pop rock (and sometimes soulful R&B) music style of Robbie Gold, blogspot readers. This trio really impressed not only this reviewer with their lively smooth sound but also the Pre-Grammy attendees to which they enjoyed the energy and momentum felt throughout the band's performance. After opening with an R Kelly cover (that featured strong vocal falsettos), Robbie and the band quiekly moved into the title track off his current release - Impact where they totally spiced up the stage with more intense momentum and heartfelt emotions heard during this touching song. Though missing rest of their first performance while interviewing RebelMann, SouthSide didn't have to wait long to catch Robbie's solid second performance which included hot R&B covers of Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On (boy, was that cover ever SO hot and steamy as well as sexually sizzling on stage) with bits of The Temptations' My Girl tossed in the mix and Bruno Mars' Just The Way You Are to which this reviewer enjoyed this artist's version instead of the original since Robbie took the words and meaning to heart by personalizing the entire song to fit his music and vocal style. Then he truly brought down the house when he sololy performed Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror where he turned the pop hit into something more meaningful besides personal to him for the audience before moving into another song, Over Complicated, also off the Impact CD with the other members of the band. SouthSide really enjoyed the energy and pop felt within Robbie's alternative/rock sound. It had a vibrant as well as lively beat to keep you dancing and grooving to the rhythmic music.  To hear more by this artist, visit http://www.robbiegoldmusic.com.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide