So, I need to tell you something, because you need to know it.
Anne and the boys, they’ve done a thing.
They started a few week ago, in Anne’s back yard and Dean’s garage…sort of quietly. And they didn’t intend to start playing out till around the end of the year. But it happened last Sunday at a fundraising festival where otherwise rational people ate platefuls of hot peppers, competitively.
The event’s closing band cancelled out, so a nascent supergroup from Gettysburg – months away from being “ready” – stepped in last minute, among people raising money for a worthy cause and eating peppers until they puked. What could possibly go wrong?
I’ll spare you the cliffhanger… everything went astoundingly well, except for one thing. But I’ll get to that at the end.
Metasped played an hour-long set while the “blaze for the brave” event was basically wrapping up. But they immediately caught people’s attention with an original, then burst into some amazing covers by Violent Femmes, Bowie, and one of the best renditions of Billy Joel’s “Big Shot” I’ve ever heard. Believe me, I’d like nothing more than to make fun of that, but I’ve got nothing — it rocked. The whole set did. If they really weren’t gig ready yet, you couldn’t tell it by me.
So who are they, and why is it a big deal that they came out and filled in at a capsaicin overdose fest for a good cause? Because this is a supergroup of local musicians coming together with a voice and a presence you’re not going to see every day. Given the amount of musical talent walking around in Gettysburg cultivated by Guernsey Beat Records and local shop owners, that’s saying something.
Let’s start in the back. The drummer, a man named Blake who I confess I don’t know, brought a crisp sharp bite along with a strong pulse and laid down a consistent floor. I look forward to seeing him more. Not a lot of local bands play with a drummer and it was a nice addition, especially given the play list.
On top of blake, we have Dean Vaccher, because of course we do. It’s bass playing and it’s happening somewhere in Gettysburg. There’s a reason for that; He’s the stone cold, punch-in-the-face truth, and he does it like it’s a walk in the park. I’ve seen Dean play a lot – it’s like finding a parking meter on the square – and it makes my day better every time. Sunday afternoon w/ metasped was no exception.
Meanwhile, you had to look to find Mike Stearns on rhythm guitar because he was sitting RIGHT IN DEANS POCKET the whole time. It’s amazing to me how Mike can interpret a song dynamically, embellishing and smudging as he goes in a way you’d hope to get out of a lead guitarist, even when he’s playing rhythm. And yet he stays on the beat so tightly it’s like he’s connected to it via USB. It’s amazing to hear that much creativity and musicianship without losing sight of the bass player right in front of him. Nobel Beat prize.
Anne Gallagher is the singer, and if you were assembling a front man in a secret government lab, and your funding didn’t get cut, you’d probably come up with Anne. She’s the best bartender in Adam’s County, married to one of my best friends (who’s not a shabby barkeep or frontman himself, as it happens), and I can’t think of a song I wouldn’t like a little better if I saw her perform it. With Metasped, she’s owning the stage, driving the song forward. If you know the song, you can’t help but sing it with her. She MEANS that shit she’s doing right now. I know her to be whip smart, creative, and kind, but she will punch you in the face as a matter of course if that’s what the situation dictates. And that’s exactly what she looks and sounds like on stage. You can’t do any better than that out in front of a rock band.
And, finally, the lead guitarist, vocalist and composer is Matt Morris. I’ve written about Matt before, and I sometimes make fun, but this article is getting long so I’ll save the material for when I see him. He is one of the most promising and creative artists in the area, and that’s saying quite a lot. I’ve seen him solo, playing with other bands, and sitting in with friends, but I’ve never seen him so engaged and driven as he was Sunday afternoon, as a fill- in act at a chili eating contest. He kicked the brakes out and we could see what happens when he’s in gear. There’s nothing this guy can’t do, and make you want to be there to see it.
This was a triumphant first gig. If local booking people aren’t out of their damn minds, you’ll start seeing Metasped showing up sooner than later.
Which leads me, in conclusion, to the “one thing” I mentioned back at the top. Matt played incredibly well, and with Anne singing and that incredible rhythm section they’ve put together underneath him, he burns the place down, whether he’s covering something, or playing an original. No question.
However, the casual observer notes that he’s playing a flame top Les Paul… to me, this is a sign of confidence, to get up there and play the porn star moustache of solid body guitars on your band’s opening gig.
Wheel in the sky keeps on turning, brother.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.