I'm just going to come right out and say it: I love a lot of local blues groups, but Snave and the Grass is my favorite..
And the show at Red's Timbers last night illustrate exactly why: Because they are so much fun to listen to!
First of all, you don't know what to expect. Yes, they can do the traditional blues numbers (although with the emphasis on the upbeat.) But last night, they did everything from "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road" to Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me." When Red, the owner of the place, said he really likes country music best, Snave and the Grass did Johnny Cash. But not "Ring of Fire," or one of the other numbers everyone does (although they did do a fine "Folsom Prison" as well.) They did "One Piece at a Time," Shel Silverstein's opus that Cash made a hit, about stealing a Cadillac one piece at a time. That's a hilarious, complicated story-song and they did an awesome job of it.
David "Snave" Evans told me, " I'm not technically a great guitarist, but I know a lot of words." I don't know about the great guitarist bit; they all sounded great to me, from Snave on the lead to Grog Hill on the bass and Elizabeth Tull on the drums. But it's true that Snave knows a lot of words. He constantly surprises me with the song choices. "Three Cool Cats," for instance. That is a great but obscure song which I had only heard before on The Beatles Decca Audition CD, which didn't get them a job at the time but was released as "The Silver Beatles" after they became the sensation they were. Snave and the Grass played it last night. Where does he come up with these songs? I don't know, but he obviously has as eclectic a taste in music as I have!
Corny jokes ("There's a 4th member of the band...Philip. Philip the Tip Jar,") tight musicianship, a lot of surprises and a whole lot of fun..that's Snave and the Grass.
For a good time, go see them anywhere and any time you can!
A few words about the venue: Red's Timbers is, I hear, the oldest tavern in Smyrna. It's a small neighborhood bar, nothing fancy, but the vibe is comfortable and friendly and the food was reasonably priced and delicious. We got nacho and chicken wings. The wings were fabulous and the nachos were more than the two of us could eat! It's not usually a blues bar but the regulars were appreciative of Snave and the Grass and several of them got up and danced. Red's seems like a great place to just go and hang out for a while, and grab a drink and a bite!
So for Snave and the Grass and Red's Timbers, 5 out of 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
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