Travis Larson Band
Travis Larson - guitar
Jennifer Young - bass
Dale Moon - drums
The Travis Larson band played at the Bistro, Hayward on 14May2010, following the Breast Cancer Research Walk Support Party, dedicated to Hank Maschal, former owner of The Book Shop, next door to the Bistro.
The TLB's load-in was delayed by the afternoon's festivities spilling into the evening a bit, but the band took it in stride and in good spirits. They like to set up early because they have a ton of equipment, and informing them in advance of their arrival had been overlooked. Once they were loaded in, they performed in their typical well-crafted and musically tightly choreographed idiom. They welcomed a guest guitarist friend to the stage at the end of the show, changing up the texture of the music a bit. It was all good.
Playing Stadium Rock in a small venue can be a challenge, especially for a drummer used to filling a huge hall or auditorium, but Dale Moon has conquered playing to the room at the Bistro in the years that TLB has been coming through on a semi-regular basis. (I recall their early shows, when the sound level tended to drive patrons out of the room and into the outdoor patio if the weather was at all accomodating.) Dale used to arrive with the full complement of electronic drums. Lately he seems to prefer his acoustic set, with a few electronic enhancements.
Jennifer Young, the bass player, is the eye candy of the band, which with a prodigious talent on the bass tends to make her the center of attention for much of the show. (There's a telling comment about this effect in Dale's journal, which you can access through the band's website. Go look for it.) Both Dale and Jennifer have posted revealing commentaries, mostly about life on the road, with asides on all sorts of peripheral issues. Fascinating material to dip into when you have a mo'.
Travis is, of course, the musical anchor and major composer for the material. The common ground among the three of them is an early admiration for Rush, and they all cite Rush as a major formative influence. Travis says Jeff Beck inspired him to pursue the expertise and career of a rock guitarist. He also credits, Vai, Satriani, and Steve Morse as major sylistic influences. Besides Rush, Jennifer lists John Paul Jones, Triumph, Pink Floyd, the Doors as early motivating influences, with admiration for such diverse talents as Miles Davis, Stewart Copeland, Genesis, Jeff Beck, Dave Grohl, etc. Dale's first inspirations (besides Rush) include Van Halen, Neil Pert, Tower of Power, and David Garibaldi as "probably my single biggest drum hero of all time." Other influences include Dave Weckl, Tony Williams, John Bonham, Elvin Jones. Eclectic influences that all come together to create TLB's characteristic, balls-out (no offense, Jen) stadium rock groove.
They say they love to play the Bistro, and it's obviously not for the exposure or the money, they get plenty more of both elsewhere than the Bistro could ever provide. They love the "small but enthusiastic" crowd, the intimate venue, they love the love. I think they love playing to a crowd full of the faces of human beings they know and can recognize as individuals occasionally, a welcome alternative to the "faceless crowd" of the bigger venues.
Watch for them on the Bistro calendar. You can see them up close and personal, good beer, no cover charge. Such a deal!
Travis Larson Band Official Website
The official website has extensive information on all things TLB - artist bios, discography, gear (and why), road journals, reviews, interviews, photos, and downloadable sound clips (see the "Sights and Sounds" menu). You can also find an array of links for further information on their gear, influences, etc.
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