October 12, 2006
Reeves Gabrels Weekly Wizardry at The Family Wash
The one and only Reeves Gabrels has been appearing every Sunday down at the Family Wash with “Loud Night,” backed by a revolving group of fantastic musicians from East Nashville and beyond. Gabrels is considered one of the most revolutionary guitarists working today, having worked with Bowie, Tin Machine, Public Enemy and many others.
Sets consist of a variety of Gabrel’s original material: mostly straight-up rockers penned by the virtuoso guitarist featuring intelligent arrangements and sharply crafted lyrics. Of course, you can also expect extended improvisations with Gabrel’s experimenting with digital toys, in particular a (Korg?) tone pad that allows him to dramatically bend and modulate his signal using a touchpad. Guitarists and rock fans alike shouldn’t miss this opportunity to see Reeves in such an intimate environment!
Gabrels generally kicks off the evening and then turns the bandstand over to rock-oriented guests. Don’t be surprised to stumble into an all-star jam with heavyweights such as the deft swagger of Audley Freed (Cry of Love, The Black Crowes).
To find out more, visit The Family Wash wesbite.
The Wash is the best kept secret in Nashville. Don’t miss Chef Julia’s delicious Shepherd’s Pie! MMMMMMM…
Reeves Gabrels will go down as one of the true originals in the guitar-hero pantheon, even as his fusion of fretwork and computer processing questions and redefines that instrument’s very place in the rock canon. A furious cut-and-paster in the studio and an evil genius of atonal improvisation on stage, Gabrels explores sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most. Among those who know him at all, he is either loved or hated but never ignored; this alone guarantees his staying power. After an apprenticeship in several Boston-area indie bands, Gabrels was put in the spotlight — and hot seat — as head axeman for David Bowie’s controversial Tin Machine project. He has resurfaced as the musical director for Bowie’s late ’90s electronica-derived comeback. In between, he released one of the most engaging — and overlooked — alterna-pop albums of the decade, The Sacred Squall of Now. Behind the scenes but influential, you’ll be hearing a lot more from him — whether or not you know it’s him you’re hearing.
– Adam McGovern, Encyclopedia of Rock
