Wednesday night at Bob’s Place (Cain’s 2nd Stage), That 1 Guy brought his Magic Pipe and an infectious stage show to town. If you have never seen That 1 Guy you really owe it to yourself to go and check out this one-of-a-kind offering. Honestly words don’t do him justice as it really has to be seen to understand what he does.
When you hear the words, “One Man Band” you probably, like me, conjure up visions of the old guy with a bass drum on his back, cymbals on his knees, strumming a banjo, while playing a trumpet or some other horn all at the same time. This to me serves to be anything but music. More like mobile noise. Absolutely not the case with T1G.
Bob’s is a small, intimate place that has more of a coffeehouse feel than a concert venue. Consider a corner stage that may be about 50 square feet (and that could be generous) that opens up to a small room that has about a dozen pub tables and chairs. I got there and about 35 people were in attendance. My first thought was, “Wow! This may be a bust.” We expected an opener, sorry no opener. So the wait for That 1 Guy was a little longer than I had anticipated. Lots of down time and crowd mingling. I even squeezed in 9 holes on my iPhone app. I took first place trophy and beat my record long drive.
With the 2nd Stage being as small as it is, there is no back stage. Band members are given the kitchen area to relax in and get ready to play. To look at the stage you see a strange lone contraption that looks like it was cooked up on Mythbusters to try and put something to rest or prove it can be done. It is a home-made pipe instrument with strings and wires, something you might find in the prop archives of Hee-Haw.
Time is finally right for That 1 Guy to start and he slowly emerges from the kitchen and makes his way through the now large crowd that has swelled around the front of the stage. You wouldn’t even know this is the “Guy” if not for the cheers as he approaches his apparatus. He begins tuning and starts the show.
The sounds that come out of this are nothing short of amazing. Your jaw drops open as he moves his hands from place to place creating several different sounds and beats that would make Prince jealous.
This is the most inventive, innovative and original thing that I have ever seen or heard. In an industry full of look-alikes and sound-alikes, T1G stands all be himself. By using a cello bow, drum sticks and his hands he is able to make some of the most catchy and gripping music that I have ever heard. He uses spontaneous samples of himself as fillers for his songs and also to mask the times when he is fine tuning something on the ground or (as was the case this night) fixing a broken drum pedal.
Like I said, words can’t do this justice. I am not a music exec and never hope to be, but I will tell you that my question of why this guy is not showcased on late night shows and bigger venues will probably remain unanswered. With emotion, energy and raw talent that hasn’t been seen or heard of since Trent Reznor, That 1 Guy truly “Packs A Wallop.”
He ripped off song after song and did lots of improv with the crowd, much of which was made up of a what can only be called a hippie revival and beatnik castaways. A very fun loving crowd made up of dancers, swayers, shouters, and curious onlookers. That 1 Guy could easily host and keep a rave going for hours and hours.
It was some of the most entertaining, original stuff I have ever seen. If you have never been to see That 1 Guy make sure you don’t miss him next time he comes through, you will not be disappointed and may just learn something about creativity. A one-of-a-kind instrument, a one-of-a-kind show and a one-of-a-kind guy. All this without the cheesy cymbals and bass drum on his back. Although, maybe a small monkey in a little jacket and hat may have topped it all off nicely. Just kidding Cherice.
About the writer:
Ernie Osborn is a California transplant that has been around the music business much of his life. He has been in bands and currently plays guitar and sings when called upon to do so. He also writes articles in the Tulsa Speaks section enititled, “Whatever Happened To…” check it out.
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Photos by: Kevin Pyle