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It was a hot Sunday in Lowertown, but the music was hotter at the conclusion of DJ Urban Kobbb's 2008 Band Brawl. Three bands ended the Lowertown Art & Music Festival on an extremely energetic note: The Union Suit, The American Freedom Machine and Special D. First prize went to Special D, The American Freedom Machine took second and The Union Suit took third prize.
The crowd gathered around 2 p.m. as iList Paducah music reviewer DJ Urban Kobbb laid down some beats. People milled around perusing booths as the smell of Buzzard Bros. Barbecue wafted through the air. The bleachers across the street from the stage were already crowded with people as the first band, The Union Suit, began to set up their equipment and perform sound checks.Emcee Chuck Tate took the stage to remind those gathered around exactly what was at stake: the $1,000 first prize, $500 second prize and $250 third prize.
The Union Suit
Jerry Davis, guitar
Cory Greene, bass
Jason Griffith, drums
Dan Tanner, guitar
First up: Paducah natives The Union Suit. There was a moment of tense silence. Then the music hit fast and hard. The Union Suit played with their usual gusto – a frenetic, go-for-broke playing style that left an impression. The crowd quickly got caught up with it as a few onlookers began to head-bang along with the music.
Drummer Jason Griffith was celebrating his birthday. “Bring presents around to this side of the stage,” Cory Greene, bassist, joked while pointing. Crowd members loved The Union Suit, especially when the band allowed them to pick their last number.
“It went very well,” the band said shortly after their set. “It was very hot but it could have been worse. We're just glad to be part of this whole thing.”
DJ Urban Kobbb continued to bring the funk as The Union Suit broke things down and the next band began to set up.
The American Freedom Machine
Kyle "Tennessee" Dodge, guitar, vocals
Brent Lehr, bass, vocals
Kirk Mattingly, guitar, vocals
Catherine Parman, drums
Louisville-based The American Freedom Machine was up next. Their deceptively upbeat music almost masks the darker tone of their lyrics. Many of their songs feature the theme of redemption. The drummer was a blur of frenzied motion for most of the set. American Freedom Machine's music was a little more laid back and smooth sounding. They sound like a cross between a country band and a swing band.
“We've had a great time,” the band said. “We haven't played in heat like this before, but we had a lot of fun and that's what it's all about.”
Special D
Craig Felker, vocals
Jason Killebrew, drums
LJ Granstaff, guitar
Joel Purdy, bass
Paducah and Hopkinsville natives Special D stepped on stage last and stole the show. The only word to describe them is rock. The band is an explosion of energy. Lead singer Craig Felker had fun with the crowd, leaning out over them and at one point singing directly into a WPSD-TV reporter's camera that closed in to capture the action. The band seemed determined to leave it all on the field, so to speak. The bassist Joel Purdy climbed on the amp stands, swinging his bass around his body with wild abandon. The crowd ate it up.
“The Band Brawl has been great,” the band said moments after being awarded the first place prize of $1,000. “There was definitely a lot of diversity in the bands involved. Today we had a great crowd. It's been a lot of fun.”
