Modern big band energy plays BAC on Saturday

There will be an abundance of drums and horns to get Carson City marching when modern big band MarchFourth plays Levitt AMP Concert Series on Saturday. The Portland, Oregon, band is ready to dazzle Carson City with high energy performance that includes some visual performers as well.

“It’s really like a funky dance party, with costumes and inclusiveness,” said John Averill, one of the founding members of the band.

There will be 12 people on stage Saturday with four playing horns, four drummers, a bass player and Averill on electric guitar. The band includes a couple of visual entertainers or dancers. They’ve been known in the past for their large circus-like acts, but Averill said they’ve been focusing more on the music lately.

“The strength of the show is really more musical than anything else,” he said. “The feedback I’ve been getting from promoters who’ve had us for 10 years is that the band is tighter than ever, and the music is better than ever.”

20 YEARS

The band celebrated their 20th anniversary on March 4 (that’s where the name comes from). Having a band so large and filled with entertainers, they’ve gone through many different changes throughout the years, and it continues to evolve.

“It feels like it went by fast, but it also feels like it’s been a long time,” he said.

Throughout the years there has been around 150-200 members of the band, and with as many as 35 members for some shows. He said the evolution of the band went from a crazy and wild performance into now being a professional group where everybody is working hard together. He’s happy with where they’re at right now.

“I’m kind of amazed that the crew I’m rolling with right now is not just musically and eclectically the best ever but also there’s a sense of camaraderie and teamwork, and everybody’s just super on-point,” he said. “That’s the thing that I’m most surprised by after 20 years — that it’s gotten this good.”

THE MUSIC

The music is very high energy and they’re known for diverse sets of music and Averill said the band never does the same show exactly twice. He makes sure by keeping track of setlists and songs they play to keep the spontaneity alive.

The band has lots of original music. Most recently, they released a 7-song EP in April. They have plans to record a double album once they get done with this tour, which ends here in Carson City.

Averill said the band also loves to throw in a cover or two into their sets. He said with their many horns and drums, they can make cover songs sound very different than the originals and they always sound fun live.

“A lot of covers we do sound a little more cinematic just because of all the horns plus the extra percussion,” he said.

PLAYING IN CARSON

Carson City is the last stop of MarchFourth’s tour, and Averill said they really like to “bring it” to close out the tour. The band has played in Reno and around Tahoe, but this will be the band’s first stop in Carson City. He’s looking forward to playing for a smaller community and for the environment being outdoors and an all-ages show.

“I like playing for the smaller communities because you get a sense of how the community is,” Averill said.

He said he gets a reaction out of the music from little kids to older folks and everyone in between. He’s been told that he’s gotten older fans out of their seats and dancing. People who might normally don’t dance at shows. He said there’s something about having all the horns that gives a nod to the older era of big bands, but the music itself is still modern.

 “That’s one of the things I like about the band — little kids freak out and they love it,” Averill said. “And their parents enjoy it and their parents enjoy it too.”

IF YOU GO
WHAT: MarchFourth with opening band Spencer Kilpatrick & The Sand Gators at Brewery Art Center’s Levitt AMP Concert Series
WHERE: 449 W. King St., at the Brewery Arts Center
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 1
MORE INFO: breweryarts.org; marchfourthband.com