Folk-rock band The Blue Party is coming to Tuscaloosa to play at the Green Bar this Thursday evening.
The band describes their sound as “Ameriparty,” a combination of Americana and party music they believe is sure to get listeners on their feet dancing.
The band is composed of six members, all from different places around the country who came to New Orleans for the music scene and met while attending school at Loyola University.
The band consists of the following members: Reid Martin, lead vocals and guitar; Natalie Mae, vocals, keyboard and fiddle; Alex Bachari, electric guitar; Rob McIntire, drums; Al Small, also known as “T,” on bass; George Stathakes on the Bouzouki, an instrument Reid describes as a Greek mandolin.
After graduating from Loyola, none of the band members expected to be touring with The Blue Party.
“We all said ‘Screw it! We’d rather do this!’” Reid said when it came down to deciding what to do with their lives.
The Blue Party describes themselves as not just a band, but a traveling party, according to their website. This description is fitting due to their early performances being primarily at house parties in New Orleans three years ago.
“House parties need to be really upbeat so our music is ordinarily happy,” Reid said. “We still just rock out and make you want to dance.”
The band began as an alternative bluegrass band, hence the name, The Blue Party, but they have since moved away from that.
“We do not sound anything like bluegrass anymore,” Reid said. “We have definitely become an electric band.”
The Blue Party’s music could be described as folk-over-rock-rhythm sections, but Reid said that was not his original intent. He wanted to keep the band more acoustic, but as the band was forming, it developed a more electric feel due to influences of its other members.
Max Bonnano, the band’s manager, said “tangible” is the word he would use to summarize what The Blue Party’s music is like.
“It is accessible music,” he said. “If you see this band play, you will really like them.”
Lyrically, Reid feels that the band’s songs are honest.
“I really like lyrics that are straightforward,” he said. “In fact, it might make you a little queasy how straightforward they are, but they don’t beat around the bush and they are not flowery.
“Often songs reflect what is going on in my life. Like on the surface, in terms of questioning what the hell I am doing with my life, the uncertainty, and how that fits into my life, plays out in my songs.”
Tuscaloosa has a special place in the hearts of the band members because it became the band’s first big out-of-town market. The band began playing house parties in Tuscaloosa and developed a following, and they hope to rekindle their past with Tuscaloosa.
“This spring we want to try to replant ourselves,” Reid said. “[Tuscaloosa] being a college town made for a great place to develop a fan base, but then people graduate and move on.”
Joe Tanner, a senior majoring in secondary education, said he began following the band a couple of years ago when he randomly heard their music from a friend.
“They are a really fun, upbeat, and energetic band,” he said. “Their music puts me in a good mood, and they are fun to dance and drink to, too.”
Because it has been awhile since the band has played in Tuscaloosa, Reid said he does not have huge expectations for this show, but he does have big expectations for the year. The band is really looking to push their new album and tour around the country more this year.
The show begins at 10 p.m. at the Green Bar, and The Blue Party will be the second band to perform on Thursday evening. For more information about The Blue Party visit bluepartymusic.com.
