Deer Tick unplugged

Posted by Stephen Centanni | Feb 24, 2016 | Music Briefs | 0 |

Deer Tick’s Acous-Tick Tour
Date: Thursday, March 3, with doors at 8 p.m.
The Merry Widow, 51 S. Conception St., www.themerrywidow.net
Tickets: $20 general/$90 VIP, available at venue and through Ticketfly

Hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, Deer Tick wins its audience with an alt. rock sound riddled with electric country twang. Over the years, it has been compared to bands ranging from The Rolling Stones to The Replacements. However, Deer Tick’s latest tour is giving fans a new way of experiencing the band’s music by laying down the electric instruments and spending the month of March playing a number of acoustic shows.

The audience can expect “a mix of new material and barn-burning fan favorites.” In a recent news release, front man John McCauley provided an appropriate reason for these raw performances. “I’m losing my hearing so I thought we’d try turning the volume down,” he explained.

In addition to the performance, Deer Tick is also offering its fan base a VIP “Acous-Tick Pre-Show Experience.” In addition to general admission to the show, VIPs will receive an invitation to observe the band during sound check as well as a meet-and-greet/photo opportunity. Afterwards, Deer Tick will hold a Q&A session with those in attendance. VIPs will receive a screen-printed poster autographed by the band and a commemorative laminate, plus they will be able to shop at the merch table before the doors open.

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.