Dirty Names

If you’re game for battling through crowds of drunken models, you should see them live when they’re in town. - Bust magazine

The old school rock n’ roll foursome, Dirty Names, took the stage next and made the crowd move right up to the stage. They immediately broke out in wild energy on, “Don’t Try Making a Move” with animated facial expressions and sexual dance moves. The next song, “I Get By” had an irresistible 60’s rock vibe and lead singer, Harrison Cofer, threw his guitar around at the peninsula of the stage staring straight into the audience challenging anyone to look away.

“Mr, Satisfaction,” a new song, had team vocals and guitarist, Kit Whittacre, pointed his instrument from his crotch playing provocatively to the audience. Always a crowd pleaser, the band played “Salt Water Jackie” and the entire crowd was dancing wildly with girls grinding on one another or gyrating towards the stage. Harrison fell to the ground still strumming and then jumped out to the front of the stage, playing guitar between his legs.

“Cadillac” had the room throwing themselves around, and in coordination with the music, a couple began waltzing crazily around the room. Before exiting the stage Harrison kicked his pick off the stage into the onlookers.
- Relix

It was electric. I don't use that phrase about every band I see; "electricity" is either something you have, or something you don't. The Dirty Names are electric. Someone, somewhere needs to manage them and put them in front of someone who can make them rock and roll stars. Not only have they earned it, but they deserve it. - radio961

"... we were all witnessing the next big thing..." - MAME Magazine

The headliners, Dirty Names, jumped onstage just a short while later and then something truly magical happened: the crowd started dancing. Not headbanging, not tapping their feet along or bobbing their heads politely, but really dancing. The Names sound a bit like the Rolling Stones-via-Chuck Berry-via-The Kinks which by some rock miracle doesn’t come off sounding dated. - Feast of Music

This is mayhem, this is late-night, this is the time to let go of inhibitions and give in the darker, wilder id. - Mountain Xpress

This is mayhem, this is late-night, this is the time to let go of inhibitions and give in the darker, wilder id. - Mountain Xpress

This is turn up the volume blow-out-the-dust drive-with-your-windows-down music. - Big Medicine

While all of their music have strong ties to classic rock&roll, it's clear that Dirty Names have stumbled onto the nicest kind of swagger. Their songs range from classic rock, to swing, to boogie, with hints of the Rolling Stones, and I'd even dare to assert an aura of the free wheeling G.Love and Special Sauce. - Duel Coast Record Club

It takes guts to play things straight these days as opposed to trying to add the latest Band of Horses style or whatever else is hip. These guys have not only the skill, but the moxy needed to bring it home. They are off on a tour of the south and if they get crowds like tonight (swelling to nearly 100 by now), they should do very well. - David Hintz

It takes guts to play things straight these days as opposed to trying to add the latest Band of Horses style or whatever else is hip. These guys have not only the skill, but the moxy needed to bring it home. They are off on a tour of the south and if they get crowds like tonight (swelling to nearly 100 by now), they should do very well. - David Hintz

This is the perfect jam for a Friday night. Damn that is some fine Rock & Roll. This really reminds me of some prime Rolling Stones. And a guitar solo! FUCK YEAH! We do not, I repeat, do not have enough guitar solos in music nowadays. - Fairly Coherent

This is the perfect jam for a Friday night. Damn that is some fine Rock & Roll. This really reminds me of some prime Rolling Stones. And a guitar solo! FUCK YEAH! We do not, I repeat, do not have enough guitar solos in music nowadays. - Fairly Coherent

Dirty Names have a lot of soul, their sound and influences are clear for all to see, it is vintage rock 'n' roll in its purest form, a band that don't care for modern sounds, like the last 40 years of music never happened, and sometimes that is just so damn refreshing. - Uber Rock

What happens when a tightly wound ballet troupe is forced to share their rehearsal space with a group of musically gifted bad boys fighting to bring back the lost art of rock and roll? - Williamsburg International Film Festival

Seeing them twice in a row, isn’t so bad . . . I’d probably have them as my entourage band if I could. Instead, I’ll just have to follow them, which is fine, because I can’t seem to find enough rock in a night unless these guys are on stage reminding us about the purity of music we’ve all been missing. - Rock NYC

As The Dirty Names bring rock&roll back into America, like The Beatles did in the 60's, with their high energy shows and extraordinary stage presence, they are on the frontline of the current rock tsunami that I can see them surfing for a long time. They are true ROCKstars. - Woody Fuller

Memphis rock 'n' roll with a British twist, Dirty Names pick their way through Hamburg era Beatles and 'Exile On Main Street' Stones and come up with a soul infused, Chuck Berry style stomp. - NXNE

Whoever said Rock ‘N Roll is dead obviously hasn’t sampled the Dirty Names.The mid-Atlantic region based group takes the foundation of rock we love, but adds their own spin.Their debut EP “Rock and Roll Mind Control” exudes gritty vocals with a rhythmically charged delivery. - Prick Magazine - Kris Melton

Five sexy, bold, confident, skinny guys strut on stage, sporting tight jeans, blazers, slicked hair and rings, snag their guitars, whip out this catch-phrase, then plow into 45 minutes of the most phenomenal Rock n Roll since The Rolling Stones. They’ve drilled their set so each song flows seamlessly into the next, never allowing a moment where you aren’t dancing your heart out. They are the epitome of professional rock n rollers, from their 60’s image to their stage presence to keeping crowd energy soaring and making sweet love with every person in the hall. They’ve choreographed dance moves that pull the audience in, making it impossible to be an unmoving hipster – you have to shake your booty to these guys. - Rock NYC - Collin Vaccarella

"The Dirty Names are true showmen and real troopers. After spending time in
their freezing van waiting to start the set they refused to allow it to impact
their show. Each player had a chance to shine without upstaging fellow band
members while frontman Cofer kept a tight rein on his position." - Ellen Woloshin

Each song had soulful harmonies from every member of the group, and the Dirty Names warmed up the studio with their home-cooked rock n’ roll. - Jeff Taylor

In a year where the Black Eyed Peas performed at halftime at the Super Bowl, what the world needs is a return to rock and roll with verve and grit and the Dirty Names deliver both in spades. - Underground Wednesday - Dan Mollen

Cool, Smooth and Funky are the three words that describe DIRTY NAMES. Their style and talent will have you singing to their tone in no time. DIRTY NAMES exhibit originality and confidence across the board. We highly recommend you support this cutting edge group. - Hip Hop Stardom

The band sounded great on Wednesday, tight and polished to a shine. They put out a lot of sound without any element being lost in the mix or sounding overly busy. Countryman pounds the ivories with a vigor that a Korg can barely withstand, Whitacre rocks across stage, kicking and grooving, and Cofer has the stage presence of a frontman from the classic era of frontmen. Pretty impressive stuff, considering that the combined age of the band barely cracks the century mark. - rock nyc - music live & recorded

This five-man band, comprised of Harrison Cofer on guitar, Matt Rose on drums, Kit Whitacre on guitar, Sam Wetterau on bass guitar, and Jon Countryman on keys, is spreading the good Word of pure Rock and Roll. An upcoming band packed with high energy that leaves concert goers begging for more. - Denon Blog

Beneath dim lights, 100 people are crammed into a tiny space, sweaty bodies close enough to spill each other’s drinks with one wrong step. No one minds, though. They’re too interested in what’s moving them: the songs of The Names.
“When I close my eyes and listen to them, I feel like I’m in That Thing You Do,” shouts Shannon Ross, over the song “Poodlehead,” written for a friend whose long curly hair is poodle-like.
Their sound is from another era. Loud, light-hearted and upbeat, it’s enough to move even non-dancers to tapping feet and bobbing their heads to the beat. - Bay Weekly

"Their original tunes are full of catchy hooks and memorable melodies, and they deliver them like they’re seasoned veterans."

- Chesapeake Music Guide

"The sound is a little tough to describe. It definitely has a throwback vibe – short pop songs that make you tap your feet shake your ass a bit, and all the members sing. ...They hesitate to cite a specific artist or group to which they’d compare themselves, but a few names come up during the conversation, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ray Charles, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. Personally, I’m moved to think about the Memphis soul sound of the 1960’s. Ultimately, the experience of seeing The Names live far surpasses the experience of listening to them on a computer or on a car stereo. They’re a live band in every possible way, and in my opinion, that’s their biggest selling point."

- The New Professional

"The eight original songs written by the band and two tasty covers ( Hank Snow’s aforementioned “Moving On” and Ray Charles’ “Sticks And Stones”) leave little doubt that they’re a band capable of garnering national attention. In fact, with their straight-out-of-1964 aesthetic, the Names is the best young rock and roll band to come out of Annapolis in some time. Welcome, Harrison, Matt, Kit and Sam. We’ve been waiting for you."

- Dan Mollen