Local rock band Poacher will play in a room full of masked ladies and gents tonight at Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern.
The band, made of former Mississippi State University students Ed Dechert (voals/guitar), Ben Hodge (bass), Steve Chrestman (guitar) and Scott “Scooter” Thomas (drums), met in the MSU English Department and formed Poacher three years ago after Dechert and Chrestman’s band, The Millicents, dissolved.
In relation to playing live music, members other than Chrestman and Dechert have been seasoned – Hodge was the bassist for Starkville-based Young Agent Jones and Thomas played drums for various bands, including Hog Leg.
As Poacher, the members have previously played in town at Dave’s, the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival, State Theatre and in Jackson, Miss., at The Tavern on George St.
“We’ve all been playing music for a while,” Dechert said. “I was playing with the Millicents in grad school; I think Ben and Scooter were both in the marching band here and they’ve been playing music for a while; Steve’s been playing in bands since the ’90s also. I couldn’t think of a better bass player or drummer in Starkville for me and Steve.”
Poacher’s rock sound has been influenced by members’ common taste in music such as Sonic Youth, Neil Young and Dinosaur Jr. But unlike other bands that make setlists consisting only of influential bands’ music, Poacher’s is made of original tunes with just a splash of covers.
“We play some covers, but mostly it’s originals,” Dechert said. “We have about 15 covers, but most of them aren’t covers that people would even know – like Chavez [and] The Replacements. But we are going to play a couple of Johnny Cash songs.”
The band’s music makes up the album it recorded last spring, which has yet to be released, with Young Agent Jones’ drummer Mike Yeager, who created a new mix of the album last month.
Poacher’s name gives off the persona of a heavy metal band, but it does not come from quite as hard core of a background as one would think. Just as literature caused the members to meet, it also gave them a name – they adopted Poacher from the title of Oxford, Miss., author Tom Franklin’s first book of short stories.
Poacher has found it is not easy attracting large crowds to rock band shows in Starkville. “Maybe it’s too loud for people,” Dechert said. “Now that everyone has to go outside to smoke and get away from the loudness, they do, or they don’t come at all. It’s definitely gotten hard to get people out.”
Besides the band’s talent, Dave’s Masquerade Ball should entice people to attend Poacher’s show. It always seems like masks help people let loose on a dance floor, it’s almost like wearing sunglasses inside. You feel like no one can see you. So if you are into genuine rock music, masks and supporting local music, make Dave’s a stop while making the rounds in town tonight.
To get a feel for Poacher’s sound before the show, visit the band’s MySpace page at myspace.com/poachermusic.
Five albums that influence Poacher:
1. Dinosaur Jr. – You’re Living All Over Me
2. Son Volt – Trace
3. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
4. Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty
5. The Glass – Hibernation