Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern will rock out of control Saturday, thanks to returning rock’n’roll group The Steepwater Band that comes to satisfy the Mississippi State University students and Starkvillians’ craving for pure, unfiltered rock music.
The Steepwater Band has an extensive musical history. Jeff Massey, lead singer, said he and two of the band’s members formed a blues band that disintegrated, and The Steepwater Band rose from the old group’s ashes. Massey said the newly-formed band had big dreams of striking out on its own trajectory, and the band continues to seek its aspirations with a fixed determination and do-it-yourself spirit.
“Tod Bowers, our bassist, Joe Winter, our drummer, and I had been in a blues band that basically disbanded after playing around Chicago for a few years,” Massey said. “We decided we wanted to branch out and write our own music, travel, etc. We started doing just that and never looked back.”
The band’s dedication and successful performances have caused its agenda to overflow with gigs. According to Steepwater.com, the band plays over 100 shows per year throughout the world.
“The Steepwater Band has maintained a grueling schedule throughout the last 16 years, averaging about
140 shows per year. In 2005, the band made its European debut, performing at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. In the following years, the band has returned to the United Kingdom and Europe for multiple club and festival tours, increasing their loyal overseas fan-base,” the website said.
The Steepwater Band strives to produce a fresh take on rock and blues music by allowing any and all inspirations to mold its music.
Massey said anything ranging from travels and books to people and new experiences inspire the band members and their creative output. These inspirations allow The Steepwater Band to carve out its own musical niche.
Fans have started to classify the band by its sound due to the creativity behind the band’s work. The band sounds like an amalgamation of styles, which Massey said can only be described as the band’s own.
“I believe we have developed our own sound. It sounds like The Steepwater Band,” Massey said. “I have heard some say we sound old and new at the same time, and I really like that. We are who we are, and we just do our thing. And in my opinion, it sounds like us — whatever that may be.”
Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern gladly welcomes a band that mixes things up.
Gorge Badillo, the tavern manager, said Dave’s has live music every night, but the fact that The Steepwater Band is not local will bring variety to the stage.
Massey said The Steepwater Band’s intention every time it performs is to promise the audience a spectacular show.
“Our goal is to put on a different show every night and put everything we have into each performance,” Massey said. “As much as we play, we need to keep things interesting every night for ourselves and for the people coming out to listen. We want to dig into the music as heavily as we possibly can every time we do a show. We don’t take performing for granted. It’s a privilege to perform for an audience.”
With a predominant philosophy to please fans, attendees can expect The Steepwater Band’s members to work tirelessly to exceed expectations as they take the stage at Dave’s Saturday.
