Want something out of the ordinary, something a bit different? You want The Big Ol' Bus Band. I saw these guys under "Swing" in the Cooly Rocks On program and had no idea what to expect from a band called Big Ol' Bus. I was so pleasantly surprised.
These guys tour around in an hold Hino 57 Seater bus, seems fitting right? From the first song I was hooked but I was also thinking "Swing? This isn't swing, but I can't figure out what it is". Hugh "Hughie" Scott Murray sits at the helm of the band and he calls it "Swing 'n' Roots" I like it, because it left me and the rest of the crew I worked with trying to come up with some kind of genre to which none of us could agree on one. Big Ol' Bus were for me, the most authentic band on show over the festival, they have a sense of family, and are a pleasant, grounded group of people to work with. It almost feels setup, like a movie, a group of nice people, all in this old bus, touring the country playing old halls and theatres. I've never come across anything like it, and I don't quite know if I will again.
Down to the music, and it's good, the kind of band you would want to hear on a Saturday evening in an old hall in the country. The best thing is Hughies voice backed up by the gorgeous and sensational sisters Alanna and Grace, the second these girls came down through the microphone myself and the other engineer looked at each other and had that nod and look of agreeance that these guys were good. In fact the whole band are so full of character, charismatic bass player Arty uses his Double Bass like a kids climbing gym.
If you get the chance to see this band you should, they are one in a million, and have such a unique sound and a bright presence, the room feels smaller, more intimate, hard for most bands to do in big rooms.
Big Ol' Bus on Facebook & Big Ol' Bus Website
Sam Webster
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