ION INDIE MAGAZINE February 2015, Volume 9 | Page 39

crowd didn't even know how to act. They were stunned! It was simply one of
those performances you never forget.
To finish off the night we went with a group called BIPOLAR. The band does
mostly covers, but is beginning its trek into original music. These guys have been
together for a very short time but burst onto the scene are quickly becoming fan
favorites. BIPOLAR kept the crowd engaged through the end of the evening.
Day 2, Saturday--The challenge of the show was getting through 21 bands on
this day without falling off schedule. We didn't want to rob any bands of
performance time--or worse, have a band not be able to perform at all.
Success…it went flawless! On the front outdoor stage, we had solo artists
DANIEL SPROUSE, SKYLER CLARK and BUDDY KING, who I will feature in
another issue. Also performing out front was JAGER MAFIA, a duo. All 4 acts kept
the front crowds happy and entertained all day.
On the back outdoor stage, HATTRICK opened perfectly and set the tone and the
mood for the day. Next up was 4X, performing an original set powered by string
wizard FRED CHANDLER and his array of guitars, fiddles and more. THE AUTUMN
JUNE BAND followed. AUTUMN is a singer-songwriter that I have been following
for a while. She is dedicated, is growing with each performance, writes beautiful
music and now has a band behind her. Keep an eye on this one!
After having a band drop out last minute, I asked a new band called TRIBUTARY
to fill the spot. The band did an excellent job filling in, and I will be keeping an
eye on them as they progress.
DANGEROUS GROUND is a band from the past--a long-time high energy cover
band powerhouse that entered SHARKFEST as their reunion show. All of the
original members from all over the country were reuniting for the first time.
Their performance blew me away in more ways than one. These were the guys
that used to win every Battle of the Bands as a cover band, but today, they blew
me away with excellent original rock. They were poised, and their performance
was flawless and masterful. They ended their set by gifting me an incredible
“Shark Guitar”, that will become the new logo for SHARKFEST and for SHARK
ALLEY…which welcomes them to the SHARK ALLEY family. Professionalism is
spelled DANGEROUS GROUND.
Next to take the stage was UNDERTONE. UNDERTONE is a heavier band with
impressive original music--great vocals, great band. This is another one I am
following. LOCAL TRAFFIC, featuring JIMMY LEE CHAPLIN, finished the outdoor
entertainment for the day with a set of their original music. Their music was
great and these guys also provided the backline and ran incredible sounds all
day.
The lineup on the indoor stage on Saturday was off the hook and featured only