Dave Hammer’s Power Supply would like to play on the moon. The jazz-trained eclectic musicians made this lighthearted statement during a recent interview promoting their new EP, “Aht Uh Yo Hed”; but all jokes aside, the trio’s mashup style of everything from blues, Americana and prog to reggae and jazz defies explanation in the same manner that the moon defies gravity.
Before the interstellar tour schedule gets under way, the band got a taste of touring on this planet’s terrain, said bassist Matt DeRubertis, “and whenever we play elsewhere it’s well received.” He said the trio, which also includes frontman Dave Hammer and drummer Chris Baker, has its sights set on a possible tour out west next year.
Dave Hammer’s Power Supply will host an EP release show June 22 at Northside Bar and Grille, with Cleveland-based “slacker rock” group Herzog. The show starts at 9 p.m. According to the event’s Facebook site, the EP “will have you groovin’ before your toast is out the oven.”
The tight-knit trio play an eclectic blend of what they describe as “acid blues,” at times visceral, at times melodic, and eternally charismatic. Speaking with DeRubertis and Hammer, one gets the feeling that this band does not take itself seriously, as they crack a number of jokes, one being the inclusion of “space cakes, lasers and fog machines” at their upcoming EP release party.
Each of the three musicians displays a deft knowledge of his instrument, making the twist and turns of each song and bounces among genres incredibly precise and entertaining.
Although there are a number of talented musicians in Northeast Ohio, DeRubertis (who also helps run the Spot in downtown Akron) said he’d like to rid the area of cliquey and separate music scenes. “I would hope to be able to bridge some gaps between scenes,” he said. “In Cleveland and Akron all the scenes are really separate. It’s really silly. It’s not like we have this huge, thriving music scene where everyone’s making money. I just hope we can somehow bring more people from different scenes and cliques to the same thing.”
“Aht Uh Yo Hed” is the band’s second EP, which DeRubertis and Hammer say was an improvement over the debut “Words.”
Since forming in 2010, the band’s members have played a range of shows, from biker bars to Christian camps and everything in between.
Northside is located 111 North Main St. The event’s $10 admission includes a CD or download card for the band’s EP. The release also is available through iTunes and CD Baby.
The EP cover was designed by local musician and artist Brian Parsons, and the release was recorded at Kopperhead studios in North Canton.
For more information, visit www.davehammerspowersupply.com.
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