By Mike Alton
The Loose Shoes Band took over the Iron Horse Steakhouse on Friday. They set up, plugged in, and aside from the time the band gave their friends Two Sixes to play a set, owned the room from start to finish.
Not a bad feat at all. Then again, Loose Shoes aren't your typical cover band. Their show is not some by-the-numbers recital. Instead, the band puts its own flavor into the songs, playing them in a way you haven't quite heard them before.
Separately, the members bring differing styles to the stage. Husband and wife Ric and Pam Cushenan share guitar duties (Pam also plays keys), with Pam playing Tom Petty to Ric's Mike Campbell. Drummer Jeff Pullen has a light, almost jazzy touch that makes everything sound a bit like the Grateful Dead with a sense of purpose. Bassist Niall Brennan nails everything to the floor with basslines that are at once sneakily sophisticated and deliciously farty, much like earlier McCartney (an impression only compounded by Brennan's fiddle-body bass).
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Together, the four musicians manage to sound like the elements they borrow from, while at the same time sounding nothing at all like them.
The Loose Shoes' stage presence is all early Beatles, sans the cheesy matching outfits (oh, and John's a woman). They project that bright, bubblegummy energy that had all the kids screaming back then, and it still gets the room moving. Right out of the box it is clear that the Loose Shoes aren't just paying some bills; they're enjoying themselves, and it's their goal for you to enjoy the night as well.
The show is extremely interactive. Pam is prone to grabbing her wireless microphone and venturing into the crowd, talking with people, getting strangers' names and making everyone feel like they're part of the show. Dancing is strongly encouraged, as is extra percussion - a tambourine is kept down front for anyone to shake.
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The Loose Shoes brought over 35 songs this evening; they were taken from a variety of sources and styles, ranging from classic (Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode") to present-day (KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and Cherry Tree"), and just about anything between.
Next to the public tambourine is a ring-binder containing a list of over 100 songs that the band has ready to go at a moment 's notice; although some planning obviously goes into the evening, they are also continually taking (and making) song requests.
The Loose Shoes' ace card, however, is their vocal work. Pam, Ric and Niall take the lead at different times, but no one voice overpowers the rest. And their three-part harmonies are astounding. The harmonies, in fact, seem to be the fire around which everything else dances. If the power were to suddenly blow out, the Loose Shoes could just sing and still put on a mesmerizing show. Fortunately, the lights stayed on, so the crowd was treated to an extremely broad sonic palette - closing with a slow-and-sweet "Harvest Moon," a lovely way to leave them dancing.
“I’ve heard the Loose Shoes Band perform on a number of occasions. The first time was at my sister-in-law’s birthday party. Their performance was so much fun that I thought of them first when entertainment was requested for a large engagement party in Alpharetta. They were prompt in arriving, very professional in their performance, and the guests couldn’t say enough about how much they liked the entertainment. . I’ve had the pleasure to hear them a number of times since that first party, and highly recommend them for any event.”
Eric Rybka, Talk of the Town Catering
September 4, 2008
Sheet Metal Components,
Inc. first had
the pleasure of being entertained by The Loose Shoes Band about 3
years ago when they played at our annual company picnic. They were
such a hit that they are asked back every year and the employees
really look forward to hearing from them. We have some musicians in
our employee group and the band welcomes them to “sit in” on a
song or two. They are a very versatile band – they play everything
from rock and roll to blues, pop, and gospel music. They even play
some of their original songs. They have a wireless microphone, which
allows Pam to mingle with the crowd and have people sing along, which
is a lot of fun. It also comes in handy when it’s time for our
service awards and presentations. They have become a part of the
Sheet Metal Components family and we can’t imagine a company picnic
without them.
Chandra Sosebee
HR Manager/ Event Planner
Sheet Metal Components, Inc.
Thanks,
Paula
Paula Bloom
Project Executive
IBM Americas Sales Transformation/ Sales Ops Reengineering
