Feelin' Grüvis

The Malt play from sea to shining sea

by Bob Gulla

Close your eyes for a moment and send good wishes out to Tempe, Arizona, where local boys Grüvis Malt are about to play, or have just played (depending on when you read this) the final round of the Fourth Annual Jim Beam Rock Band Search, a contest assembled not only to promote the hairy brown stuff, but to honor the most talented unsigned modern rock bands in the nation. According to the contest judges -- and who are we to disagree? -- Grüvis Malt, Federal Hill's finest, is one of five of the best up-and-coming rock bands countrywide and will be competing with Busker Soundcheck (Chicago), Galaxie (Knoxville, Tennessee), Waterface (Tempe), and Yo, Flaco (Denver). The five bands will each perform a 15-minute set of original music before a judging panel of high-profile record industry executives and music writers. The competition goes down at a place called Bash on Ash in Tempe, with the winner receiving a five-market tour aboard the Jim Beam tour bus, an opening slot at the "Rock the Rackhouse" concert in August at the Jim Beam Distillery, a $1500 equipment bonus, and various other trinkets.

If their past record is any indication, Grüvis Malt is bound for some good luck in Tempe. They've already shown well in a couple of these contests, including the 1998 Rhode Island College Rock Hunt, which they won; WBRU's Rock Hunt, where they finished as a finalist; and winning in this paper's acclaimed Music Poll. They were also voted the #1 Unsigned Band in 1997 and 1998 in BRU's listener's poll. All this means one thing: Grüvis Malt is getting a little too big for the Biggest Little. So what do they do? They set out for the wild, wild West.

"We're holding up pretty good for the first time getting to the West Coast," says Scott, the band's drummer. Scott and the band, speaking in the middle of a traffic jam in Denton, Texas, have embarked on their first nationwide tour, stopping in places like Portland, Seattle, San Diego with Ozomatli, and Los Angeles, where they played a showcase at the Viper Room. "It was a little weird," Scott admits, "having a bunch of record industry bigwigs watching us. But actually most of them weren't much older than us." Though they left that night without that miraculous story of getting signed backstage, they did make a lot of contacts. "You can't expect anything to happen that quickly," says Scott. "Networking is what it's all about."

Traveling, too. Grüvis drove straight from Las Vegas to Houston, a grueling, 30-hour odyssey. "When we got there we unloaded, soundchecked, ate and played. It's crazy, it's exciting, but it can get pretty tiring. When we're doing it it's crazy -- I think we can get [the band] going really fast when we need to. It's when we're stuck in traffic, and we've already read the backs of all the cereal boxes, that it gets tough."

So far, with the help of relatives and friends, drawing crowds abroad hasn't been a problem. "We're not as big as at home, but we're bigger than we expected," says Scott. "In Houston we drew more than the headliner because of family members, same thing in Utah." Neither, remarkably, has getting along been a problem. Early in their careers, the band members all lived in the same Cranston home. There they learned each other's space and personal limitations, which buttons to push and which to leave alone. That information has helped the six-piece function under less than ideal conditions. "We learned more about the road than we actually learned about ourselves this time out," Scott admits. "Learning how to play a gig after driving 30 hours is a good lesson to learn in this business."

Of course, those gigs are easier to play when you have material to get excited about. Their recent Sound Soldiers full-length is exceptionally good, an elastic melange of danceable, musicianly, groove-based styles, while their new Backout Smiling is a multimedia pleasure, a prime work of -- oh, let Scott tell it: "We like to use the word `futurock,' a combo of funk, jazz, and hip hop that seems to be getting a little heavier on the rock tip." It's only a matter of time before the band begins to rival its adrenalizing and entertaining gigs with a high-quality, possibly major label, recording.

Much of Grüvis' success offstage concerns their ability to apply themselves to a serious grassroots marketing scheme. They're a dedicated bunch intent on self-promotion, both through the internet and via snail mail. They've got the regional college crowd trapped beautifully, with a 5000 member mailing list that keeps the Internet traffic flowing and the CDs headed out the door. Someday, they may even tell us how they got a Ben & Jerry's smoothie named after them. Now there's a promotional gimmick.

Grüvis Malt will play at the Met Cafe on June 3 with Secret Chief (with members of Mr. Bungle), and Estradasphere.

JEFF TERRA. In case you haven't heard, the Providence blues community lost one of its most talented sons last Saturday. Guitarist Jeff Terra of D.D. and the Road Kings and the Jeff Terra Band passed away at age 38, apparently of a massive heart attack. The Phoenix sends its deepest condolences to those fortunate enough to have known Jeff. As for those of us who heard him play, we can be certain that the city's blues scene will never again be the same. A benefit, tentatively slated for September 23, will be held in Jeff's memory at Chan's. Details to follow. We wish his family well and hope that Jeff is now finding the lost chord in that great Chess blues jam session in the sky. There are some mighty good players up there.

WANDERING EYE. On a much brighter note, Stone Soup's Richard Walton will be celebrating his 72nd birthday starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 4 at the Walton compound right on Narragansett Bay at the bottom of Grenore Street, just off Narragansett Parkway in Pawtuxet Village. As usual, the party will be a pot luck benefit for Amos House and the Providence-Niquinohomo Sister City Project. Bring your checkbooks (not required). Since his 60th birthday bash, partygoers have raised more than $20,000. Questioners call 781-7504 or e-mail him at richard@soup.org.

And speaking of good causes, there's a kick-off concert for the 1 of 52 Artists Against Hunger benefit shows at Lupo's and the Met Cafe on Sunday, June 4th starting at 5 p.m. The Feinstein Foundation will match up to $5000 to benefit of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. At Lupo's John Cafferty, James Montgomery, Chuck Smith, and D.J. Lauria play for the cause, while the Met features Glass Attic, the Mockingbirds, Illustrious Day, and Glint. Tickets are $10 and shows are all ages.

A bruising, edgy and nervous night goes down at the Columbus Theater on the 2nd, with a lineup featuring Arab On Radar, Six Finger Satellite, and Olneyville Sound System. The 18-plus show starts at 9 p.m. and it's only $6. The theater's located at 270 Broadway. Call 621-9660 for directions.

John Kolodij reports that his band, the Pines of Rome, will be showing up on June 2 at the Safari Lounge with Omaha, Nebraska's Bright Eyes (on Saddlecreek Records) and local faves Honeybunch. The show starts around 9:30 p.m., and it's free (as always).

If that's not enough, the Fantastics take their racket to the Green Room on Friday, in what should be a kick-ass show with 28 Degrees Taurus and the Jumblies.

Bob Gulla can be reached at b_gulla@yahoo.com.