Maybe August Presents
Hello Dave with special guest
Pinky Lee
Saturday November 29th

You’ll never believe how the band Maybe August came up with their elegant name. At first they thought of calling themselves Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – but that was already taken. So they pondered long and hard and recalled a time when they were gigging’ in California and met Halle Berry. According to Scott Robertson – a straight arrow with a bent bow - she was so impressed by their music she told them she would come back to see them again, maybe in august. And that’s the whole truth…except it never happened quite that way. Instead of California the guys were playing an anonymous gig at a bowling alley in Tecumseh for drinks and tips; instead of Halle Berry there was a waitress named Stella, she was a real beauty with reddish hair with just a streak of grey lining the center of her female mullet. She had a big butt, lord what a butt, and she took an immediate liking to Keith Carolyn. And after a night of athletic and slightly uncomfortable passion, an exhausted Keith, feeling dirty and violated , got up and pulled his trousers back on, zipped up and tip-toed toward the motel door. And just as he cracked the door open, a heavy hand reached out and slammed the door shut, “Where do you think you’re going”. Keith turned around and faced Stella’s glaring disapproval and stammered, “ummm, ahhh,blub-blubb…sheeeesh ..ah…I gotta run, another gig…umm…I’ll see you soon…maybe August?
TRUE

So it was with great excitement that I approached this concert event at the absolutely stunning State Theatre in Bay City. I heard a lot about Hello Dave – a group from Chicago sounding like a cross between the Eagles and the Allman Brothers – and Pinky Lee a folk rock duo who sings beautiful lilting harmonies while composing their very own intricately woven song-stories. And then there’s Maybe August – the best undiscovered band in the country. The stars were aligned, the aspects were right and I was ready. Pinky Lee performed with basic instrumentation - guitar, mandolin and percussion – that allowed a greater focus on their glorious harmonies and down home lyrics. Right away I noticed that Pinky Lee – Jenny Bosquet and Holly Keller – were like a female Maybe August, trading off leads and singing harmony like Emmylou and Gram. One was tall; one was short and both were pretty – but who’s that old dude with glasses and moccasin boots banging the conga like monkey on Quaaludes? The songs were memorable – breakup ditties like I Wish I Didn’t Care and Here I Am or songs that bring back fond memories of childhood such as Airborne Kite and Grandma’s Kitchen Table and the up-tempo closer Time for Me to Go. Pinky Lee gave us a sweet taste of their down home versatility - a perfect intro to the rest of the evening.

The headliner was Chicago’s own Hello Dave, a National Act that has played far and wide, hence and yon and developed a sizeable and well-deserved following. The focal point is singer songwriter Mike Himebaugh, who possesses a clear rich tenor reminiscent of Glen Frey or John David Souther. The band was tight with a southern rock vibe with more than a little inspiration from the Eagles. They have two lead guitarists that sound a lot like the Allman Brothers circa Duane Allman and Dickie Betts especially when the play a melody line together an octave apart. There songs are solid and commercial with big hooks and a big chorus. They performed several songs from their latest CD the excellent Perfect Day including Come Right Away, Melissa, Saturnalia and the superb Michigan that contained several familiar reference points such as Hockey Town, Kalamazoo, Traverse City and sailing to Mackinaw Island. One of the highlights was Waterville a tribute to Himebaugh’s formative years.

But…For me - Maybe August stole the show outright. They performed a tight set with glorious harmonies and original songs with complex arrangements. Maybe August is world class act that deserves wider recognition. Dan Kozuch, the new drummer, is a high-octane gonzo timekeeper who’s button is always on fast forward. He brings an edge to the band – a missing piece - that compliments the incredible craft of the other band members. The Robertson Brothers are great singers with Scott taking the lead onstage while Michael creates textured sounds with his guitar. Rosco is THE premier musician in the band who treats his harp as a lead instrument not just a fill-in, at times sounding like B3 Hammond, a trumpet, a steel guitar, or a damn H-bomb. The unsung hero, of course, is the quiet but sexy Keith Carolyn who lays down the deep bottom that anchors the whole thing. The band performed songs from both of their CDs including Amanda Lynn (showcasing their trademark high harmonies), the seriously hilarious Gotta Run, Lay Down from the movie Greener, and Sale on Salvation with a message of brotherhood wrapped within a pretty gutsy metaphor. Their cover of Wait a Minute displays MA’s gift for heavenly 3 part harmonies with minimal accompaniment. They ended the set with magnificent new song Summertime closed the set. Rosco says they plan to release it as a single – a new trend in the industry as people prefer downloading specific songs as opposed to purchasing an entire CD.

But the finale proved irresistible with all three bands joining together onstage to perform a dynamic version of Marshall Tucker’s Can’t You See that segued into the Dobie Gray chestnut Drift Away.

The audience appeared to be more like a family at a picnic, an informal glad to see you vibe with few distant cousins shaking hands and hugging sideways, some hand knitting, others dancing, and all of us enjoying a great evening of original American music from the heartland.

Remember it’s not the technique, it’s the TAO