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Caveman Dan's Band O' The Month

HOWDY! This is Caveman Dan from The Blue Terrapin in Elizabethtown, PA. We have been in business for four years now, specializing in the jamband music genre. We have had many great groups come in through these doors. Some have been here many times and some were just passing through. Over the next few issues I will be introducing bands to the public, that you may or may not have ever heard of. That is the goal. I plan to introduce some really hot music in the jambands circle, thereby making the world a better place to dance! Visit our page and link up to the cavemondan page too through here --> THE BLUE TERRAPIN WEB PAGE.

The first band we will explore is HEXBELT! They are from York, PA the same town that brings you LIVE and HARLEY DAVIDSON and basically a big Pennsylvania town with an increasing crime rate. HEXBELT used to be ONCE FISH, however since PHISH became a household name, many thought that they were a phish cover band and to avoid further confusion, decided to change names after eight years of being called ONCE FISH. The two final names were between PRETZEL (invented right around york, pa) and HEXBELT ( an invented word used to describe the area where you see alot of barns and homes with the round hex signs hanging over doors to bring health, love ,etc...), like biblebelt, greenbelt.

O.K., I don't want to repeat the page here found at www.hexbelt.com. You can go there and listen to some cuts, and read all about the band and where they are playing and all that other stuff. Rather, I am going to try to explain why this band gives us goosebumps and has shed tears of joy at shows. HEXBELT sold out the Blue Terrapin more than anybody has, and has never, repeat never showed up with anything but a great attitude and disposition for the show. Every single show in the past at least five years has been as if it were the first and last!

There actually was a time when ONCE FISH was not really that good. They would attempt cover songs from the dead, little feat, bob dylan, and the current jamband genre at the time. I would guess this was during the late 80's, and earlier. Like almost all bands, they went through this bass player and that drummer and this guitar player until they found a combination that worked and they could finally start to gel. Dann O. is the lead singer and plays guitar and has been the heartbeat of this attempt since its conception.

The biggest thing is that HEXBELT has taken the jamband groove and consolidated it into 3-5 minute songs. There are songs that go longer, however for the most part they are in this range. What? you ask. This is jambands not pop. Well let me explain. Let us imagine a band is playing a song for say 20 minutes and during that 20 minutes they either have all one groove or they come in and out of at least 2 grooves. Now let us say that we enjoy longer jams because there are no interruptions and we have assumed jambands to mean long songs with lotsa music and few vocals. Now imagine a band taking that 20 minute songs with say 4 grooves and divide it up into 4 five minute jams with each song being as similar as it is unique! That is HEXBELT!

Here is the kicker. Not only are the songs a bombardment of catchy, groovy jams, they write lyrics that are very much a part of their real life experiences. Individual and collective. In other words, the lyrics, which by the way are very, very understandable, will find a meaning in your personal life! The songs are what I would consider hits. It has already been accepted by people from outside our genre also. I have yet to ever experience a band that draws from all the assumed stereotypes. HEXBELT! has been the one exception, with the hippies as the majority. The band themselves used to have long hair, but lets face it , hair length has little to do with being a hippy. That is something that comes from within, and is shared by the kind folks of this world.

HEXBELT! has the potential of THE ROLLING STONES, because the songs are simple(not simple to play), catchy, similar, different, distinguishable( every song sounds like HEXBELT!), AND Dann breaks out of his shell and climbs on rafters and jumps from balconys and gets carried overhead by people who are not moshing. They call their shows hoedowns, like barn dances. I hope to see a video of a barn dance with the rest of the world sharing the Pennsylvania, appalachian, susquehanna, swing.

MIKE C is the guitar player that takes the jest of the song and adds his style to it. He is usually in and out, but he doesn't relax when he is not playing the lead. Yes he gives limited guitar lessons, and works in music stores and with computers. He took a year off to sail off the Florida keys, then returning to get married and propel HEXBELT! to the current level. His style of guitar is developed over years of playing and practicing. Many other fine guitar players have shared the stage with the band over the years, but it is Mike's country picking, rocking, grooving, jamming, spacing subliminal style that draws you in even further.

BRENDAN M. is the drummer. Jazz drummers, and a guy that retired from the army drum corps, have all said that Brendan is really good. He also has developed a style that is very unique. I think it is those little accents he seems to place at just the right time. It could be the way he tunes his drums before every show. It could be the dynamics of his beats. Whatever it is, it works and that is what is important.

NATHAN E. plays the bass and sings back up vocals. He brings youth to the band and all the energy that comes with it. I am not going to say he is the newest member, because he has been with the band/family/cult for two years. With the addition of NATHAN the band found the glue to keep it all together. His work on the cd WONDERLAND? speaks for itself.

It would be great to hear your feedback after listening to either of the cds, however do not rule this band out as a favorite, until you see a live show. They will be at some of the cool festivals this summer, so make sure you visit the stage area while they perform. I realize the camping thing is fun, and it is hard to leave your temporary home for anybody besides why you came there for. But you will never know until you try.

Of course, it is great to see HEXBELT in the hexbelt, but if you find yourself in Ocean City, MD or Rehobeth.DE. this summer, they are also there. The schedule can be found at their page. Mercersburg, Pa is also a very spiritual place to have a hoedown.

The band has enough material to put out another album, however there are plans for a live cd, so that a combination of the past and current could all be heard on the live level. Songs that are not on either cd could then be heard recorded. Hopefully it would be a double live, but a single would be cool. Until next time, keep cool, and get involved. If you fall in love with any band in the future, remember to spread the word. Meet the bands back stage or in the club now, , just ask the band how you can help. Every band could use another fan. Sign mailing lists and be the first on your block to know about HEXBELT!

Peace and love, CAVEMAN DAN

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