Poor Boys Relief

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
4.18.10 Poor Boys Relief
Poor Boys Relief is one of those dazzling Michigan bands with the potential to make it big on the jam band/festival scene; they just need exposure. And they certainly got it by playing at Wrigleyville's Goose Island. This was my first time seeing Poor Boys Relief play live and I was impressed with the caliber of their original music and their mastery over the instruments. They reminded me of a young Gov't Mule or Allman Brothers, and they definitely have the ability to follow in their footsteps.



Poor Boys Relief started off with mellow but upbeat performances of "Heroes And Scarecrows", "Potbelly", and "Best Of My Best". The guys seemed comfortable and at ease as they let the music flow. Their style is bluesy rock with jam band flavor. I thought the kickass guitar solos were improvised jam riffs. When I was told by the band after the show that they were written I was extremely impressed. It's one thing to let loose on a guitar; it's another thing entirely to have such a deep understanding of jam music to allow you to capture the spontaneity and liveliness of the genre with the security of written music. In every way, these guys blew me away. In fact the only suggestion I have for the band is for the lead guitarist, Matt Church, to play louder!


Brooks Robinson's playful and engaging stage presence

Early on I could tell that Brooks Robinson has a masterful stage presence. His showmanship was engaging and high-spirited. He was able to elicit a great response from the notoriously stiff Chicagoans, whose enjoyment of the show was obvious as they bobbed their heads and danced in their seats. I didn't even see this much movement at Pitchfork 2009! Poor Boys Relief's playful college vibe is infectious.

Towards the middle of the show, keyboardist Chris Bemben's sounds formed the foundation of their best songs; the bluegrassy and soulful, yet fast-paced and happy rock that only a keyboardist can capture. He dominated on "Why Can't We Dance", a song that reminded me of early Grateful Dead performances with it's liberal use of the keyboard. Another favorite of mine, "Saga Of The Hairless Mole Rat", reminded me of late Led Zeppelin and classic Southern rock, with dank and ominous beats driving the music. Drummer Oscar Azevedo thrashed like a rock god, creating the thunder and lightning for the hot Louisiana storm rolling over Goose Island. Lead singer Brooks Robinson brought the crowd in emotionally with his passionate and perfectly-tuned voice. Bassist John Bommarito tied it all together with pulsing notes, leaving me with the sensation that I was driving broken-hearted down the Louisiana interstate with the top down, cigarette in hand.


"Saga of the Hairless Mole Rat"

The band came back from their syrupy, swampy excursion into the underworld with an invigorating performance of "Electric Parade". Once again, Matt Church led the band with an exciting solo guitar jam that left the crowd yearning for more. Their last two songs, "I Saw A Ghost" and "Hibernation Days", demonstrated their mastery over the Rock-Jam genre. They've struck a perfect balance between the meandering jams that make classic jam bands like Phish so polarizing. Poor Boys Relief is mainstream enough to capture people who listen to the radio and corporate music, but are also fresh and engaging enough to appeal to hardcore festival goers.

Poor Boys Relief is an up-and-coming band whose accessibility makes them a breath of fresh air on the live music scene. Keep your eyes peeled for them at festivals next year-Chicago Jam Scene guarantees they'll be blowing up fast. Their show was successful and they thoroughly impressed the stonecold Wrigleyville crowd. When the next band Roses and Sake (from Chicago) started playing, nearly 20 people walked out. I almost did myself. Chicago is a tough crowd and Poor Boys Relief is a hard act to follow.
- Chicago Jam Scene

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2009
Have some Family Time with Poor Boys Relief
Reigning from Big Rapids, Poor Boys Relief brings an atypical kind of contemporary rock to the stage. The band formed in a living room on Woodward Avenue in 2007, and since recorded their first album The Clark EP. Their March 2009 release of Family Time features a smooth blend of rock, folk, blues, and funk. Intertwining the sounds of acoustic and electric guitar with piano, organ, synthesizer and accordion, these poor boys have struck rich.

Featuring lively and light tunes such as “It’s My Own Damn Fault” and “Old Red” to the more subtle and deep “Radioactive Hands,” no two songs sound similar – as a result of the eclectic array of instruments. Each track exposes a new component to the album’s overall anatomy. The melodies have a relaxing affect, but their high energy will keep heads bopping.

Poor Boys Relief boasts of their energetic and theatrical stage performances sure to delight any age. Their next show in the area is with Sun Gun at 8 p.m. on April 18 at the Grand Rapids venue, Sazerac Lounge.
- REVUE of West Michigan

Interview with NOISE Magazine
Published June 4, 2009
It's 'Family Time' for Big Rapids band

Anne Erickson | aerickson@lsj.com
Poor Boys Relief guitarist talks about new release
Poor Boys Relief has woven catchy, diverse modern rock tracks since forming in Big Rapids in 2007.

The gents - guitarist and vocalist Brooks Robinson, bass player and vocalist John Bommarito, lead guitarist Matt Church, drummer Scott Hicks and keyboard player and vocalist Chris Bemben - just dropped a new CD, "Family Time," and they play Mac's Bar on Saturday.


We caught up with Robinson to chat about Poor Boys Relief.


• LSJ: You guys incorporate a lot of different genres into your music. What draws you to such an eclectic array of influences?
• Robinson: As young musicians in 2009, we're able to draw influences from great music made decades ago and from music that was made just last week. When organizing our sound, we have no formulas in place to protect a song from sounding like surf-rock one minute and folk the next.
• You have a cool band name, "Poor Boys Relief." How did you come up with it?
• A friend used to use the term as an acronym for his favorite adult beverage. We liked it, so we stole it. Thanks, Chad.
• You just dropped a new CD, "Family Time." What was your overall goal with this album?
• The idea of "Family Time" was to provide friends and fans, as well as ourselves, with a fair representation of our music. We had a plethora of songs and over a year of heavy gigging complete before finally finishing the album. The ongoing goal will be to persuade people to pay money for what we feel is a quality album.
• What's your favorite thing about being in a rock band?
• It's telling people that I'm in a rock band ... or watching their reaction when somebody else tells them I'm in a rock band. It's like telling people I'm studying to be an astronaut: they either think it's the coolest thing ever, or they smile and think to themselves "Who is this guy fooling?"
• Show details: Poor Boys Relief, The Hangers On, 3 a.m. Delirium, 9 p.m. Saturday, Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., 484-6795; $5 at the door.


- NOISE Magazine Lansing, MI