Waterville Rocks Concert Series: Rustic Overtones with Muddy Ruckus

RUSTIC OVERTONESRustic Overtones formed in Portland, Maine, hometown to each bandmember: guitarist and lead vocalist Dave Gutter, drummer Tony McNaboe, trombonist Dave Noyes, baritone saxophonist Jason Ward, bassist Jon Roods, alto saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and Spencer Albee on keyboards and piano. After playing hundreds of shows and recording several albums and featuring some special guest artists—like Funkmaster Flex, vocalist Imogen Heap, and one extra special guest, David Bowie—Rustic Overtones broke up in 2002, after a three-hour farewell show at the State Theater in Portland. The band reunited five years later for another Portland performance, held on the roof of radio station WCYY before 6,000 fans below in Monument Square. The reunion continued with a new album, Light at the End, and more album releases came in the following years. In more recent years the band has sustained tragedy, but has held steady despite the unexpected passing of trombonist Dave Noyes in 2019. He was the cement and glue holding the band together both in terms of sound and personality and his passing only served to increase the band’s resolve to continue.

MUDDY RUCKUSMuddy Ruckus is a “darkly inventive” rock duo, according to the New York Music Daily. Guitarist Ryan Flaherty and drummer Erika Stahl of Portland, Maine play a grungy style of railroad indie punk blues. This stripped-down power-duo blends rootsy guitar and edgy percussion on a suitcase drum kit, and is known for a full rock band sound. The band just released their fourth album, Vacationland, featuring tracks with legendary blues harmonicist James Montgomery and low-rock saxophonist Dana Colley of Morphine. The album is packed with 14 red hot tracks that blend psychedelic rock, punk blues, and fiery lyrics into a sound that’s uniquely Muddy Ruckus. “Legit dance hall crashers”—Glide Magazine.

Schedule:

Beer Garden opens at 6pm
Muddy Ruckus 7–8pm
Rustic Overtones 8:30–10:15pm

Rain Venue: Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St, Waterville, ME