Gregg Hall & The Wrecking Ball Live at First Ave
Gregg Hall & The Wrecking Ball just released a new album record live at First Avenue club in Minneapolis: Live at First Ave. Settled in the musical center of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Gregg Hall and the Wrecking Ball deliver an energy and a skilled musicianship in their performances that’s been captured here in a top notch recording of one of their shows in Minnesota.
Gregg Hall has a few musical irons in the fire, but in this group with The Wrecking Ball, there’s a country underpinning with electric energy and the kind of vibe that overall makes for a fantastic rockin’ night out.
“Sittin’ Here Thinkin'” whips up a heavy energy with a full electric sound and driving electric guitar solos and is a bit out there on the rock ‘n roll edge. “Legend of Butcher Holler” follows up – it’s a hoedown dancehall number with moonshine stills, a crazy mean sonofabitch, and whirling dervishes of fiddle. “Livin Liberty Street” continues the upbeat country style on one of those streets where it all goes down – you know, the place where “if you look out the window you’ll probably see a cop / it’s where you’ve got a place to crash every day of the week.”
On “Livin’ Lock Down” there’s a dose of the blues in a song that could well be considered in the lineage of the Grateful Dead’s bluesy “Truckin” with a buildup to sing along to.
In “Cardinal Song” the mood dips lower to more of love song vibe, with acoustic guitar added to the mix (it might be a 12 strong or a bright-stringed Taylor guitar) and an energy that builds with a degree of early psych rock style. Later on “Love Withstands” the heavy driving pulse returns in a song of wondering how things went off the rails: “how I wish I had the remedy for your thoughts of me as the enemy…”
Gregg Hall and the Wrecking Ball package a range of electric country blues songs together in this album that makes you feel like you were there in the audience having the time of your life.
Gregg’s nickname is “Cheech,” for those familiar with the classic party movies Cheech & Chong made, that feels relevant to the celebratory vibe of this show at First Avenue. But, it’d be a Countrified Cheech & Chong night. This album would be perfect to host your next party from start to finish. More details are available here on Gregg’s website: http ://gregghallmusic.com/
This album was recorded live 12/15/2023 at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN and tracked by Mike “B” Birrenbach at the Steeple on Main, and mixed and mastered by Sean Truscowski at The Azyl Valley Studio.
Musicians on the album are Gregg “Cheech” Hall on guitar and lead vocals; Sam Weyandt on guitar; Eddie Juntunen on Hammond B3; Alexandra Green on vocals; Ben Rohde on drums; Kale Reed on fiddle; Tim Powers on bass; and Dan Kimpel on pedal steel.
