It's getting to the point that I rarely list a young musician's 'influences'
or 'sounds likes' anymore, because it's mostly all the same: an
unofficial count shows 18,246 female indie songwriters are would-be Ani
DiFrancos; 9,485 are Fionas. On the Band scene nationwide, you have
hundreds of thousands of Green Days, Coldplays, Phishs and Maroon 5s -
you get the idea.
In contrast, the Nate Wilson Group reaches way back to the genre of pure classic rock, listing their prime influences as rock pioneers Led Zeppelin and Cream, even though they were barely born when these groups were in their prime.
Credit the parents: "When we grew up, this is what was playing," Nate Wilson says "It's timeless stuff; look how much airplay it still gets."
True enough. But that fact also makes it hard for an original group of that genre to break through on radio: "Commercial classic rock stations are tough, they're afraid to play something that is less than 100 percent familiar." Nate says "Even groups like the Eagles have trouble getting their new stuff on those stations... and we don't fit the AAA (adult album alternative) envelope. For us, it's a combination of internet-only stations that are thirsting for something new to play, and college stations give us a whirl when we hit their town."
But the music is getting through, and the reviews of their debut CD "Unbound" from major media outlets like the Boston Herald have been glowing.
The October 9 date at Putnam Den will be the group's first foray into Saratoga Springs, fresh off an opening set on September 25 for the Ryan Montbleau Band at Revolution Hall in Troy.
The Nate Wilson Group came into being in 2006 when a legendary music room (the Stone Church near the University of New Hampshire in Newmarket) re-opened. With history going back to 1969, the Stone Church was looking for a regular band to have a weekly residency and play music that was reflective of its history, yet with appeal to a younger demo. Nate had just left a locally popular group known as Percy Hill, was eager for a new challenge, and quickly put together his team. With that gig as an anchor, the band began to tour moderately throughout the Northeast, stepping up the schedule with the release of 'Unbound'.
There is a new record in the works, scheduled for next summer, and this one will be released under a small label (Young Cubs, out of Boston) which will provide the band a state-of-the art studio to work in.
When asked about their goals over the next 3 years or so, Nate declined to blue-sky about Grammy's, etc. instead remaining as grounded as Jack Bruce's bass line: "For us, it would be fantastic to make this a full-time venture and not have to supplement with other jobs. We're all pretty realistic, in this economy that alone would be an achievement."
"But if it doesn't happen right away, and things stay the way they are, that's cool too." Nate said "If it's not about the music first and foremost, you really shouldn't be doing this."
Credit the parents: "When we grew up, this is what was playing," Nate Wilson says "It's timeless stuff; look how much airplay it still gets."
True enough. But that fact also makes it hard for an original group of that genre to break through on radio: "Commercial classic rock stations are tough, they're afraid to play something that is less than 100 percent familiar." Nate says "Even groups like the Eagles have trouble getting their new stuff on those stations... and we don't fit the AAA (adult album alternative) envelope. For us, it's a combination of internet-only stations that are thirsting for something new to play, and college stations give us a whirl when we hit their town."
But the music is getting through, and the reviews of their debut CD "Unbound" from major media outlets like the Boston Herald have been glowing.
The October 9 date at Putnam Den will be the group's first foray into Saratoga Springs, fresh off an opening set on September 25 for the Ryan Montbleau Band at Revolution Hall in Troy.
The Nate Wilson Group came into being in 2006 when a legendary music room (the Stone Church near the University of New Hampshire in Newmarket) re-opened. With history going back to 1969, the Stone Church was looking for a regular band to have a weekly residency and play music that was reflective of its history, yet with appeal to a younger demo. Nate had just left a locally popular group known as Percy Hill, was eager for a new challenge, and quickly put together his team. With that gig as an anchor, the band began to tour moderately throughout the Northeast, stepping up the schedule with the release of 'Unbound'.
There is a new record in the works, scheduled for next summer, and this one will be released under a small label (Young Cubs, out of Boston) which will provide the band a state-of-the art studio to work in.
When asked about their goals over the next 3 years or so, Nate declined to blue-sky about Grammy's, etc. instead remaining as grounded as Jack Bruce's bass line: "For us, it would be fantastic to make this a full-time venture and not have to supplement with other jobs. We're all pretty realistic, in this economy that alone would be an achievement."
"But if it doesn't happen right away, and things stay the way they are, that's cool too." Nate said "If it's not about the music first and foremost, you really shouldn't be doing this."
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