Greenville Scene

by: Jennifer Bacon

Relatively new to playing live, High Valley Acoustics has made a quick ascent into the Greenville music scene. Having now appeared at such venues as The Handlebar, Connolly’s Irish Pub, Sharkey’s Pub, Oysters on the West End and Coffee Underground, High Valley Acoustics latest performance found them dazzling restaurant goers at Brick City Grille with their musical wiles.

While normally an upscale eating establishment, Brick City Grille was transformed into a music hall this past Friday night, complete with disco ball and dizzying psychedelic lights that swam around the room. Cheesy, yes, but it lent some ambience in an otherwise normal bar and grill and provided a colorful backdrop to the band’s equally transcendent jams.

The quartet includes founding members Lorn Clark and Adam Reese, two former roommates with a passion for songwriting and jamming. Adam’s new bride and longtime friend of the duo, Jenny Reese, plays keyboards and sings a sweet harmony to Clark’s strong vocals. Their elegant blend of vocals could be heard most notably on their original Sweeten Your Taste, a somber ballad with heartfelt lyrics and haunting guitar licks. Brand new to the band is Todd Campbell, the drummer whose rhythms lift the band from its simpler roots of acoustic guitars, to one full of sound and percussion. Without a bass player, High Valley Acoustics relies on the drummer for that rhythmic fill, one that Campbell delivers.

At its core, High Valley Acoustics is a straightforward rock and roll band. What’s impressive is their vast number of original songs. Clark and Adam Reese, who have been writing together for years, share Songwriting duties. Their unique interpretations of covers such as Peter Gabriel’s Your Eyes, and The Rolling Stone’s Gimme Shelter are refreshing and welcome. Other covers include Tom Petty, Oasis and U2.

While still new to the Greenville scene, this night at Brick City Grille shows a band that is quite comfortable in their collective skin. The play between lead guitarist Adam Reese and Clark’s acoustic rhythm guitars shows years of collaborating and practice, while Jenny Reese’s backing vocals and keyboards offer fullness to the overall sound.

HVA had some members of the crowd up and dancing, but had everyone listening and smiling. For such a relatively young band, they command quite a presence onstage. Check them out on myspace and their website: www.highvalleyacoustics.com.