THE SCENE/hear
localsound
Matt Loi
by Matt Loi
THE BLUES
seem to suffer from a generation gap. Many Baby Boomers and quite a few from Generation X grew up with Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and other blues-based rockers. But Millennials generally have to look through their parents’ record collection to get a taste of the genre. Fortunately, some younger musicians carry the torch. Spokane-based Fat Lady melds the blues, rock, and psychedelia into one heady, explosive mix. In January 2016, a basement jam session evolved into a band. Guitarist/singer Schuyler “Sky” Dornbirer, who also plays in Left Over Soul, joined bassist Drew Stern and sax player/flautist Patrick French, all of whom work at Hoffman Music. John Lynn throws us for a loop by adding cello to the typical rock arrangement. The group was completed with Brad Spracklin on drums, who is also with math-rockers Flannel Math Animal. After a few months of jamming, they knew they were ready to play around Spokane Dornbirer draws from Hendrix and Robin Trower. His raw, intense live performances sometime end with a guitar smashed onstage. His music shop skills come in handy, as he repairs the instrument before the next show. French has the biggest, throatiest sax sound in Spokane. He also is capable of some nimble, playful flute melodies. Lynn’s cello adds harmony lines and gives just the right amount of sweet earthiness to the mix. Spracklin takes a very different approach to the drums than he does in Flannel Math Animal, letting go of the highly complex compositional style and simply playing whatever feels
32
spokanecda.com / SEPTEMBER 2017
right at the moment. Stern is perhaps the eye of the storm, laying down a straightforward bass groove for everyone else to ride along. French initially wanted to call the band Fat Sound, which is the timbre they strive to achieve. Then Dornbirer wanted to inject some bizarre humor. They developed a rather Frank Zappa-esque live performance concept where Lynn would dress in drag and chase Dornbirer around the stage. You can see evidence of this on the back of their EP. But lately they’ve cut back on the theatrics, as Dornbirer says he prefers Lynn’s cello skills to his dresses and make-up. But he hints that there might be a return to wacky visuals someday. Their five-track, self-titled EP was produced, recorded, and mixed locally at W3B Studios by Carey Brazil and mastered by Jay Condiotti at J Bones Music Land. The overall sound of the disc is live and raw, with a ’70s classic rock vibe. Dornbirer wrote most of the songs, but Stern co-wrote a bit and everyone fleshedout the arrangements. Their iconic cover art was done by Ali Hutchinson. You can buy a copy at 4000 Holes in Spokane or at any of their concerts. Fat Lady just played Pig Out in the Park, and they also landed a spot in the Volume Music Festival two years in a row, plus this summer’s Elkfest, and a night at The Bing opening for Robert Cray. Their typical haunts are The Observatory and The Red Room in downtown Spokane. Find out where Fat Lady is playing next on Facebook.