I've Seen All Good People

One of the supreme joys of the Queen is getting to share in the King's musical world! To be at a Hectic Red Event is to be around happy people who support The Big Red Machine's awesome live music!
I always enjoy the crowd! The guys in the HR band are talented, friendly and eager to put on a great show for the audience. The fans are extremely loyal and always full of enthusiasm and appreciation. Totally cool! After all… 'Hectic Red' IS the best Classic Rock Band in the entire Baltimore area people!!! That is why I am passionate about getting the word out about Hectic Red! This is a labor of love!

No other band 'round these parts does the HR set list. The four part harmonies of Rich, Danny, Such and Ben are unmatched. Really… now who else around here has that? Nobody. These same four guys have been together for the entire 22 years! No other band in the Baltimore area can say that either! Some local bands are known by the name they made for themselves back when they still had their best players, but now those bands for various reasons have a changing rotation of musicians. Hectic Red gets their dynamic tight playing from 22 years experience of always playing together…Rehearsal not necessary!
You can tell by their fun attitude the HR guys enjoy what they do too!

I was a fan when the band started out 22 years ago at the Dulaney Inn in Towson…so I am not being prejudiced just because my fiancé is the lead guitarist. HaHa! It happens they perform to perfection some of my personal favs from when I was a skinny hippie girl… Funk 49, Long Distance Runaround, Southern Cross, Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Steely Dan, Genesis...Beatles… and the Hectic Red rendition of the 'Dixie Dregs' version of 'Led Zeppelin's Kashmir' is to die for! Powerful sound! I love these guys!!! They all are such sweethearts that it's no wonder everyone enjoys working with them at gigs...even Club Sharks!

John Suchy is a man of many talents…the utility man sings wonderful vocals, plays acoustic and electric guitars, and really killer keyboards. Sometimes all at the same time!!!!

That rascally Knight Danny Grim sings the high vocals, while playing bass, along with his famous Moog Taurus foot pedals! Yikes!!!

My old friend Rich Filbert, sings vocals and harmonies while he plays his drums with absolute precision. And yes... ladies.... he is still single. (I attempted some drum lessons a few times with Rich back in the day....well, I still cannot play, but I have huge respect for the skills of drummers! Especially Rich!) Finally the guitar virtuosity of Ben Sherman enables HR to perform thrilling versions of Joe Satriani's Satch Boogie, and Eric Johnson's 'Cliffs Of Dover…and if you never had the experience of hearing Ben's guitar playing live…. it is jaw dropping! I am a total fanatical fan every time Ben plays his solos. I get lost joyfully on the wave of his creation in that moment! I get to hear and enjoy all the crowd comments while the guys are on stage; along with the kind words people have to say about Ben directly to me.

One of the constant phrases I heard the past year over and over from fans was "Ben Sherman IS the Sh*T!" One show where HR was playing with Rob Fahey and Crack The Sky, … Rob told a story to Ben that I overheard. Apparently someone had come up to Rob and told him that he needed to check out this guitarist that this particular guy had just seen the other night. "Who was it?" asked Rob. "His name is Ben Sherman." "Oh man," says Rob, "Ben Sherman IS the SH*T!" Right then and there, I said to myself that I have to design a tee shirt with that phrase on it. Especially now since even Rob Fahey said it! Haha!
I wore my shirt to last night's gig and every time someone told me how fantastic Ben's guitar playing was I just pointed to my sh*t sh*rt! Now the latest phrase I am hearing is "Your guitar playing is SICK man!" What kind of t-shirt design would that be???? Haha! (If you want one of these new designs you can buy 'merch' online at Shermanator Gear)

Last night's HR gig was not far from home, which was a treat for us! Yea! The crowd went wild and even at the end of three sets gave standing ovations along with cries of "More! More! Do one more song!" Hectic Red did and still the chants continued… This is the way it is at HR gigs! People love 'em! This is just what happened last year at the Towsontown Festival! The crowd was on its feet multiple times during the show, and just kept yelling for more at the end of the Hectic Red show in a rousing ovation! Which is why I am at a loss for why HR is not playing there this year. (Ah the smelly underbelly of the local music world snarks across the swamp. That's my politically incorrect rant, ha!ha!)Now back to last night…How great is it that HR fans stayed out for all three sets?!!! What fan dedication! Kudos to Jenny coming out with an injured leg and her psychedelic cane! Also to Lauren supporting HR with a pinched nerve! A big shout out to the Lighting Babe and her Revel Grove crowd. I feel very blessed that all these good people have been so kind and welcoming to the Queen. Thank you all!

An added note: Ben had someone come up to him today who had been at the show the other night. The young man in his twenties looked at Ben shaking his head and said, "Dude!........Duuude!... Unbelievable! That was the best cover band I EVER heard!!! I called all my friends and said, "You missed it Dude!!!"

I think that pretty much sums it up for the committees, venues and agents who are not booking Hectic Red! Duuuuude!

Ahhhh....My Very own Guitar God!!!! The Queen is sooooo happy!

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Photography by Crystal Visions Art