Music That's Alive
Review: Blue Microphone Launch Party with Chris Pierce

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:09:02 -0800 PST
by Scott G - The G-Man

Music That's Alive

Blue Microphones this past week threw a private party (November 6, 2008), to demonstrate their latest products and it turned out to have the most security of any event in the city. The site was the Gibson/Baldwin Showroom which is right next to the Beverly Hills Police Department.

Most exciting was the entertainment, in which indie recording artist Chris Pierce performed using Blue mics, thus proving they can not only stand up to the rigors of a high energy, world-class live act, but come through with flying colors. Pierce, who was also the first artist to use the Icicle with Blue's Bottle mic to record directly into a computer, has been thrilling audiences a decade and will soon be the opening act for B.B. King. I've seen full shows by both artists and let me assure you that audiences on that tour are in for a treat.

Opening his too-brief set with an a cappella wail of such power and passion that he instantly silenced a crowded room full of schmoozers, Pierce launched into a wild amalgamation of funk, folk and rock that was the very definition of vigorous. Pierce seems to operate on raw energy crossed with lightning as he climbs all over his clever lyrics and deftly beats the hell out of his big Epiphone jazzbox.

As if Pierce wasn't powerful enough, his band features cool controlled explosions from bassist Orlando Sims, percussionist David Leach and drummer Bryon Holley. These guys could make nursery rhymes sound dangerous and their ability to propel each verse and chorus with just the right amount of gunpowder was beautiful to behold. Steve Aguilar's keyboards and Jon Butcher's electric guitar work were alternately silky smooth or razor sharp. The interplay and dynamics of these six musicians simply cannot be topped.