Guy Snowdon & the Citizens at B Side Lounge with interview!
Rustbelt Rock Reviews
By: Z.M. Delgado
Zackolantern.com
Volume #19: Guy Snowdon & the Citizens
July 1, 2022
B Side Lounge 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH
Fireworks are exploding across the night sky, celebrating the birth of our nation, while I sit desperately trying to catch up on some overdue writing. The holiday weekend has flown by in a blur of activity and I somehow let the days slide passed since Friday night. That was when Chen and I were summoned to the B Side Lounge to check out Cleveland’s own Guy Snowdon & the Citizens. Though calling the band one of “Cleveland’s own” is a bit of a stretch as Mr. Snowdon is actually a transplant to our fair city from Birmingham, England. A fact we will have to forgive, as he did correctly choose Northeast Ohio as his home from all the other locales on the globe. Also it is worth noting that the Citizens are all home grown musicians, thus cementing their Rustbelt status.
Guy
We met with Guy and, well… a Citizen at the bar before the show. Aside from Guy, drummer Zack was the only member of the band who was in attendance. I was disappointed by this, as I was looking forward to seeing their organ player. For reasons that were never explained, the band was running at 50% capacity. That wasn’t the only SNAFU that was plaguing the Citizens that evening. Originally scheduled for a patio performance under the summer sky, torrential downpours forced the bands into the dungeon like confines of the B Side. If you’ve never ventured to this spot, it is a small venue in the basement of the Grog Shop. It expands upon the notion of small, while stretching the limitations of the word “venue” to their absolute limits. I don’t believe they have any sort of house speakers, and the bands bring their own amplification. Not to say that in a space as confining as B Side, a P.A. would even be appropriate, let alone necessary. If you’ve ever been to a keg party with a band in the basement, you’ve pretty much been to B Side. Being stuck inside was a second disappointment, but none the less I had been called upon to bear witness to some Rock and so that is exactly what I did.
Zack
We made introductions and grabbed up stools. Guy was kind enough to provide us with a round of beers and we got to the interview without delay. I learned that Guy had been living here for nearly six years now; relocating from England, following a career move by his spouse. The band came into existence surrounding a gig Zack and Guy played at a John Lennon tribute hosted by the Beachland Ballroom. The set went well and after some industry urging they finalized their lineup and proclaimed themselves “a band.” Shortly after that COVID hit, and with the rest of the world, the Citizens were shut down. (Guy and Zack both acknowledged it was a terrible idea to start a band three months before a pandemic, and they assured me they will plan better next time around.) Guy summarized, “It’s been a crappy year, but in fairness we’ve carried on and we’ve grown. I always said to the lads, if we can get through this, we’ll get through anything. And we’re still going.” After only a handful of gigs, they found their only option to be to switch over to “socially distanced” recording mode. It was “stressful, but it worked.” was Guy’s description of the sessions. The Citizens made the most of that time off, finishing their album “1” and releasing it last November. In addition to the album, they even managed to put together a live stream concert from Zack’s backyard to keep in touch with their fans.
In the two and a half years that they have been active, they have only had the opportunity to play about eleven gigs in total. I asked them how the live response has been since the return and Guy told me it was like “starting fresh.” He also told me that “the live response is interesting because we’ve not been functionally consistent.” And that their “momentum is just getting started” and “it’s going to get messy.” I liked that answer. Let’s face it; if it ain’t messy, it ain’t Rock N’ Roll.
When asked to describe their sound Guy said “I always regard it as Anglo-American. Rock, Anglo-American Rock is probably the right term.” While percussionist, Zack, elaborated with “It’s a 70’s Rock kind of thing, with a big screamer voice.” Guy countered that with “I refuse to accept ‘70’s and 80’s’ style.” and “to me, Rock will never die.” Their major influences are Beatles, The Who, Oasis, Led Zeppelin, E.L.O., as well as a lot of Indie and Folk Rock. Zack also described his Jazz background and how it influences his playing.
This band has no name!
Soon enough the show began, the social media event posted the opening act was called Simon & The Apparatus. However the band who did perform claimed they had no name. I don’t really know who they were. They were alright though; some decent feel good rock. Their vocalist played keyboard. That’s all I have on them. Mysterious, aren’t they?
Down two men, the Citizens took to the stage with only a guitar and drum kit. Despite this Guy and Zack put together a nice set, blended of covers and original material. This was a small gig, with a light crowd. The musicians chose their songs appropriately, keeping it soft and mellow, playing up to the intimacy of the occasion. This worked well. If they would have spent too much time trying to amp up the small reserved audience, it could have grown tiresome. Rather they elected to relax along with us, and it made for an enjoyable experience. I remember thinking that Zack exhibited exceptional control throughout the set. A lot is said about how fast, or loud a drummer can be. John Bonham is more often praised for his aggressive style than he is for his precision. I mention this because I found Zack’s playing both technically impressive while reserved and nuanced. His Jazz background was quite apparent throughout. He would frequently close his eyes and simply “vibe” along with Guy as they ran through soft and melodic numbers. One such track was entitled “Lights” (I think). I remember it was nothing short of beautiful. Another was a song Guy penned for his daughter. Being a Girl Dad, I was particularly touched by this. While I harp on the melody and soothing nature of the set, don’t mistake this for some folk concert. It was a Rock show, and Mr. Snowdon did just that: He Rocked. On the song “Take it in my Stride” the two piece showed off a great riff in a pure Rock style that I, for one, found refreshing. They exuded a demeanor that seemed to say they really and truly love playing Rock N’ Roll in their souls.
Following the set, we said farewell to Guy and Zack and headed home. Chen an I agreed that while the band was not part of my “usual beat,” the music was great and it was a fun experience. I regret we did not get to see Guy Snowdon & the Citizens at full power. However, what we did get was some very solid Rock N’ Roll with many touching moments that showed exactly why the softer side of Hard Rock can be just as powerful as it’s heavier counterparts. I applaud the Citizens for sticking to their guns and writing the kind of music they love. It is easy to follow trends, chase impersonations of greats or to put on false personas to try to make a name. I found none of these traits to be apparent in Guy and Zack. They seemed to be two legitimate Rockers with old school sensibilities. They aren’t heavy, but they don’t want to be. They write music reminiscent of an era before the brutality of Punk and Thrash changed Rock forever. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath get some much deserved love for songs like “Immigrant Song” or “Children of the Grave,” but let’s not forget about “Down by the Seaside” or “Changes.”
Go see GS&tC on tour!
Rock N’ Roll comes in many forms and serves many functions. I believe there is a place of honor reserved for bands that keep the “Classic Rock” style alive. If it wasn’t for these roots, there would be no Metal as we know it today. This is a band I could play for my beer buddies, and appreciate “that Classic sound,” simultaneously it is also something I could play at a family bbq and not chase my older relatives out of the party. If you love the great ones, be it the Beatles, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones or Bob Seger: Then check out Guy Snowden & the Citizens. It’s real Rock N’ Roll with heart, and that’s all you need to know.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt!
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Zackolantern.com
7/4/2022-7/5/2022
You can catch Guy Snowdon & the Citizens at Painesville Party in the Park on July 15th.
GuyandtheCitizens.com
