I was seventeen years old when the Chicago Bears started that run in 1985, I remember watching them early on that season with some nervousness until the third game of the season ended, then I realized that there was something special afoot with that team. The date was September 19th, 1985 (the night before my seventeenth birthday actually) and the Bears entered the game with their starting quarterback Jim McMahon on the bench with an injured back. The Bears were not playing their best, McMahon's replacement Steve Fuller was having a pedestrian day (13 - 18 passing for 124 yards with an interception) and lo and behold in the third quarter the Vikings led by Tommy Kramer took the lead by a score of 17 - 9.
Bears coach Mike Ditka stood on the precipice of disaster (okay that's a little thick but stick with me) and put an injured McMahon in the game, replacing Fuller. McMahon dominated the rest of the game, throwing three touchdown passes propelling the Bears to the victory with the final score 33 - 24. I was simply amazed by the performance, it was gritty, in your face and it felt like I had seen something extraordinary happen. The next evening was a small birthday celebration when I finally realized how good they really were as I sat and talked with my Uncle Jeff about the game. He exuded everything Chicago Bears and really was the person that led me to becoming a Bears fan about ten years earlier, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention how obvious his excitement was about the team following that one game.
Following that victory it became a forgone conclusion that the Bears were going to win, handily at least in my eyes (until the Monday Night Football debacle against the Miami Dolphins) all of the way through the Super Bowl. That team had "IT." It was so obvious that this team was destined to win it all so it came as no surprise. I've seen it time and time again since that day including the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 but few teams have been as blatant about it since those '85 Bears but then something strange happened, I saw it again but this time it wasn't a sports team.
The area in which I live is truly blessed with the variety and quality of national touring acts that come to our area an perform. It is a testament to the venues we have and those people that book these acts but also to those that attend these shows, I hear it time and time again from acts about all of the great things they hear about performing in our area, in fact in November I heard from the drummer of the band Jackyl how much they love coming to the area and playing because of the fans (remember that band for a moment). That night was a real treat in and of itself but was a little disheartening because the opening band couldn't make the trip, their name was Wayland.
Wayland is an interesting band if not for the simple reason that the drummer of Wayland happens to be the son of Jesse James Dupree of Jackyl. I have seen Wayland at least twice before so I kind of knew what to expect but this was going to be different because of the Jackyl connection, I thought it would be neat to see father and son back to back but that wasn't to be. It was announced that Wayland would come back to Dubuque so I knew I would be able to see them soon enough and I knew what I would get, a great rock show but I got much, much more than just that.
On June 29th, 2018 Wayland came to Dubuque, Iowa by way of the Q Casino which is a fantastic venue with the Rick Monroe opening for them. When I had seen Wayland in the past they really were a great band, powerful and fun but I truly didn't expect what they brought to the table that extremely warm Friday night.
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| Mitch Arnold talking to a fan ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
There was a polish to Wayland that I hadn't seen before, but this polish added a sheen that was beginning to brighten as the night went on. The next several songs displayed that bluesy feel to their music that almost needed a description as to what genre one could assign the band. I was asked by a person near me if I thought the band was a "heavy metal" band which quickly fueled a "No" from me because they simply aren't.
That made for an interesting conundrum for me because it is easy to assign a label to most bands but Wayland is different. This band is like the proverbial onion because as you peel it there is yet another layer to it and they truly aren't any different in that regard. There is a simple complexity to their music, with undertones of country music, funk, rock, alternative, heck even some metal I suppose but a simple definition just wouldn't do. The best answer I could come up with was "they are a classic hard rock band" and that would have to do for a little while.
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| L to R Vilenski (guitar), Dupree (drums) and Dean Pizzazz (bass) ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
Within the song Bloody Sunrise there is an initial note that sounds like it is going to be some hard, screaming metal song then it breaks into an acoustic, almost country feel of a song that then turns bluesy and then goes back to hard rock then back and forth. Vocally there is a Shinedown feel to it with almost an anthem power behind it. This song live is bodacious and powerful.
Peeling that onion one more time takes us to Shopping For A Savior, a song that immediately reminds me of the powerhouse band The Black Crowes. This song triggers a visceral response that makes me tap my toes and hum along, its infectious and glancing around the crowd as they performed it I wasn't the only one. It's a delightful song and the band makes it look effortless as they performed it.
Let us look at the contrast of styles further with the very next song Wayland performed, it being Fire Down Below. This song takes you back in time to Black Sabbath intermixed with Jimi Hendrix, and Shinedown with a distinct smattering of the personality of Wayland itself. Although it doesn't seem like that combination would fit I can assure you that it does, perfectly. Live this song is a masterpiece.
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| Wayland's Set List from the Q Casino in Dubuque, Iowa July 29th, 2018 © musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
It becomes apparent how remarkable Wayland is when you listen to the song Ghost in the first place but live the song takes command. It has all of those influences I mentioned earlier but adds the intertwining of sounds of the band Starset but inside their live performance reflects their energy and the power of the lyrics. Without a doubt I truly believe this song sets them above their contemporaries by far.
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| L to R Vilenski, Kenzie Schumacher, Pizzazz ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
After the performance I asked Nigel Dupree about Schumacher's performance and he reiterated that there was some nervousness on her part but despite that during rehearsal it became apparent that she had "IT" and that he was "blown away by her on stage." That is a very impressive statement by Dupree because it shows her prowess and stage presence being able to tackle her first performance with the band period let alone being able to play on such an iconic Wayland song.
What I found even more extraordinary about Schumacher's performance was the fact that she is incredibly humble, so much in fact that immediately following the performance she left, she went home but why? Well Schumacher is a manager at a local Starbucks and had to be up five hours later to go to work, and while others her age might be tempted to let the opportunity be her "rock star moment" she showed professionalism and loyalty to the other responsibilities in her life. Her performance was great, and her presence gave the song a little something more. Very well done!
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| L to R, Arnold, Pizzazz, Vilenski, Schumacher, Dupree performing Follow ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
Having seen Wayland previously I couldn't remember the band taking on She Talks to Angels by The Black Crowes but the minute they did it was truly stunning! First of all it is possibly the single most iconic song for The Black Crowes and it is known by everyone but it also falls into the category of songs that should never be touched by anyone because it is that iconic. The song is dark and powerful but the vocal of Mitch Arnold takes you back into the original feel of the song. Arnold has a vocal range that reminds me of so many performers but it fits inside the vocal range of Chris Robinson (lead singer of The Black Crowes) perfectly. This song was indeed my favorite of the night, it was impactful, mysterious and dark I absolutely loved it!
One of the most interesting aspects of going to see a band perform live is where certain songs from the bands catalog may fall or which ones may be excluded, it seems to be a topic for debate in every show. As the night began to fade to its conclusion I heard some people wondering when they would be able to hear two of the biggest songs of Wayland and I kind of chuckled about it. I never asked the murmurers if they thought the band wouldn't perform Get A Little or Reno but you knew they had to be coming and they indeed did.
Get A Little is one of those songs that has indeed become an anthem of the band, it is truly their most recognizable song and one of its most successful (it reached #6 on ITunes Rock Chart) so as the band began the song the crowd responded in kind. The song has all of the elements of an anthem if you will, it is memorable, it has a great sound, and it makes you move. This one song will be in their set list for the rest of the time that the band is together and will be played in countless bars, receptions and parties for eons. It reminds me of the rock anthems of the '70's and '80's like Rock And Roll All Night by KISS if not for the simple reason that whenever that song is played everyone that listens to it sings along with it.
Its a catchy song but it really holds true to the idea of what everyone feels and the simple necessity of just letting go and having a great time. Watching the crowd as Wayland performs it proves my point, you can visibly see the self-satisfaction, and understanding of the fans as they sing along. You can honestly feel the fact that they agree with the "terms and conditions" of the lyrics if you will and it was blatantly obvious within the faces of those in attendance. It's impossible to NOT enjoy yourself listening to this song but seeing it live takes it to another level.
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| Dean Pizzazz (bass) ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2018 |
As the band broke into the acapella beginning to Reno I was actually kind of taken aback because I expected that the show was actually over but to my surprise it wasn't. Reno is a great little song, about "The Biggest Little City In The World" Reno, Nevada and it seems kind of fitting. I've visited Reno a couple of times and I kind of always thought of it as the "ugly sister" of Las Vegas if you will, and although that doesn't sound like a complement it really is and the song kind of justifies it.
Reno is a city that has everything Vegas has but on a less grand scale but it is just as entertaining. Reno has a reputation to it, as does Vegas but for some reason it is treated like it isn't as big a deal as the flashy city to its south. The song says "the streets are dirty and the girls are cocaine pretty, put it all on black when there's no place left to go, there's only one road in and one road out of Reno" while those words may sound kind of dark and unappealing it makes me think that this is going to be one heck of a place to have fun. When I was a teenager there was a place that we had parties that had one way in and one way out, the exact same road because it dead-ended right at a set of railroad tracks and we had the best parties there. This song makes me see the revelry in the town "where the streets are dirty and the girls are cocaine pretty," it gives an exciting feel to the town and it makes the song playful as well. It's a great song and kudos to the band for making it the last one of the night because it's an underrated song compared to the song before it but it is just as entertaining. I would garner a guess that I wasn't the only one humming that song on the way out that night, it was a wonderful way to end the set!
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| Nigel Dupree (drums) performing at the Q Casino in Dubuque, Iowa July 29th, 2018 ©musicallead.blogspot.com-2018 |
Have to admit something to you, I am a music snob, it's hard not to be. In 2017 I saw 147 different bands perform, including Wayland so if I go to see a band more than once it's because they are a good band and worth every minute of it. Having seen them perform previously I obviously knew what to expect when I saw Wayland perform at the Q Casino in Dubuque, Iowa June 29th, 2018 but there were some in attendance that didn't. When the band took the stage it became apparent however that I really didn't know what to expect after all. I kind of expected to see a really good rock band which was going to perform at a high level while entertaining everyone in attendance but just like the Chicago Bears in 1985 I saw something else.
What I saw was a band that has "IT" and make no mistake when you see them perform you too will see "IT." Wayland has "IT." What is "IT" you ask? It's not easily defined but it is easily explained. They have a stud lead vocalist in Mitch Arnold for example that in and of itself is crucial to the success of any band. Arnold has a vocal quality that fits the genre of music today like a glove. In Phillip Vilenski they have a guitar player that not only looks like a stereotypical guitar legend (long hair, smooth demeanor) but he can shred the crap out of the strings. He has a bluesy feel to his performance, almost Stevie Ray Vaughn like with that rocker edge to him, he truly is one of the best performing today.
Remember the '85 Bears reference? Do you remember the '85 Bears in general? They were a cast of characters with larger than life personalities and perhaps the biggest personality on that team was no other than William "The Refrigerator" Perry, good old #72 and I would contend that Wayland has their very own 'Fridge in Dean Pizzazz. Pizzazz plays bass for the band and before you think I am accusing him of any type of weight similarity to Perry I assure you I am not. What I am accusing him of is being like 'Fridge in tenacity, skill and that personality that reminds me of #72. In Pizzazz I saw a man on stage that engaged literally everyone in the crowd, looking amused as he performed and looked like he not only belonged there but owned it.
There is a final piece to the lineup of Wayland that really completes that "IT" factor, that being Nigel Dupree on drums. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Dupree is indeed the son of Jackyl frontman Jesse James Dupree and there are similarities to the two. Like his dad Dupree displays an extreme level of professionalism while on stage and at the same time looks like he is always having the time of his life. Dupree is an incredibly skilled, gifted drummer and while watching him beat the drums to the point that I thought he was going to break the stage I realized that he reminded me of a drummer that just left us. The drummer in which I am referring is no other than Vinnie Paul Abbott, the quintessential drummer from Pantera, Damageplan and most recently HELLYEAH passed away on June 22nd, 2018.
Abbott seriously dominated a drum kit like few others, I seriously felt bad for the drums watching the way he abused them in every performance, he gave everything to his craft and he is truly one of the greatest of all-time and I can see Nigel Dupree subscribing to that same performing style. Dupree is a BEAST on the drums and despite the lack of facial hair (like that of Vinnie Paul), I see Dupree performing like Abbott. He is confident, gifted and plays at a similar level to that of Abbott and I told Dupree myself that I see him as the next Vinnie Paul, he is that good.
In Wayland I see all of the intangibles that I did with the '85 Bears in the context of the "IT" Factor that is (I don't know how good the four members of Wayland would be on defense or if any of them could run like Walter Payton so there's that). This band is a force to be reckoned with, they are superior musicians, excellent songwriters, huge personalities, exceptional teammates and amazing performers. I would expect that in the years to come that the sky is the limit for this band, I think they can rival anything and anyone in music today.
What can I say about Wayland that I have yet to say? When I saw them that extremely warm June night I knew that I was in for one heck of a show, and when I left that evening I was mesmerized by the skill level and star quality that they have exploded forward with. Wayland is the real deal. Do yourself a favor and find this band online HERE, take in a live show, buy their music and sit back, relax and enjoy it because this band is IT.
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