Best Bands: Three Thumbs Up & Jelly roll Blues Band
Best All-Around Band:Three Thumbs Up
When Three Thumbs Up kicks off a modern rock tune like Buckcherry‘s “Crazy Bitch,“ be sure to get out of the way because chances are there‘s a stampede for the dance floor.
At least that‘s what we saw from a mob of young women waving the ‘rock on‘ sign and dancing ecstatically to the band at a recent show. No wonder they were voted “Best All Around Band“ by Express readers.
Specialists at the art of the cover song, the members of Three Thumbs Up nail pop/rock favorites by Nickelback, the Chili Peppers and Avenged Sevenfold, among others. Sometimes, you‘d swear they nail the covers better than the original artists, owing to their precision attack that‘s right, tight and out o‘ sight with great stage presence to match the music.
As noted in a recent Express article by Rick Coates, “The band is made up of longtime Northern Michigan music scenesters Dave Weber on bass, drummer DC Crawford (both guys are in the metal thrashing band Commonfaced), vocalist Aaron Anderson and the dual guitar attack of Jon Head and Matt Sharp.“
Keeping tuned into the music scene keeps TTU on a roll -- they‘re booked at clubs throughout the region for the rest of the year.
“We stay on top of what is hot -- the stuff being played on the modern rock stations. It appeals to the 21 to 35 year olds,” said Dave Weber.
Best Blues Band:
JELLY ROLL
To quote an old blues standard, the members of the Jelly Roll Blues Band are “sittin‘ on top of the world“ with their selection as “Best Blues Band“ by Express readers.
Not that they need any reminders, because with 26 years of touring the region under their tires, the Harbor Springs-based group has played just about every venue in Northern Michigan and most every major party scene to boot.
The band includes Bill Reisenbeck on drums, Craig Stadtmiller on keyboards, Bob Crosser on bass and guitarist Johnny Storm on guitar.
Legend has it they got their name years ago during their jam sessions at the old Park Garden in Petoskey when Statmiller announced that they were the “Jelly Morton Memorial Band,“ in honor of the blues giant.
And while they‘re big on the blues, you can always count on Jelly Roll to come through in the crunch when it comes to kicking up some rock & pop favorites to please their loyal following. View On Our Website