Feature and Show Review. Originally published in The Kentucky Magazine in March 2015.
What does it mean to be ‘Bad”?
Is it a quality trait? Should it define you? One band in central Kentucky is causing ruckus all in the name of being ‘Bad’.
"We're kinda all over the place and I feel like that’s what gives us a lot our sound, whatever feels right is what we are going to play," said Braun Dabney, the bassist of the four piece instrumental band, Bad People, from Lexington, KY, currently signed to Little Heart Records. Their first album, Movement, was self-released in December of 2013. The members of Bad People are Billy Duncan(Guitar), Andrew Beauvier(Drums), Jordan Adrian(Guitar), and Braun Dabney(Bass).
"Rock 'n 'Roll is controversial, you want it to be a little dirty, you want it to be risqué," Dabney said. The band displays styles of Post Rock with a fine mixture of Experimental drawing influences from Pink Floyd to The Mars Volta. All four members are seasoned in different styles of music from playing in different bands before forming this ensemble. The driven sound and melody comes from the rhythm section and is laced with the elevated tones of the guitars. Granted on some tracks the riffs get downright nasty and the funk comes alive with a force.
Although the Bad People experience doesn’t draw you in with just music. The music will take you on an adventure but their live show may be the closest thing to a journey through an Aurora, with a self-produced light show that has dynamic ranges to match their musicianship, which sets them apart from being just a ‘local band’.
“We’ve always focused more on a live show than being an internet band and having singles,” said guitarist and lighting technician Jordan Adrian. Bad People debuted their most elaborate lighting set up in their short 3 year history on Friday, February 13th, 2015 at Cosmic Charlie’s. The lighting setup has evolved to include a truss, lasers, strobes, and automated color changing lights that were also synced to some of their music cues.
“I spent a week programming [lights] through touch board patches,” Adrian said, “it’s kind of reclusive…learning lights was like learning a new language.” He began experimenting with lighting in mid-2011.
"He has a vision as far as lights and theatrics that a lot of people don't get anymore," Dabney said of Adrian, who also runs ‘HUGE’ (Lights and Sound) that provides a quality lighting experience for night clubs and Electronic Dance Music concerts in and around the Lexington area.
Bringing this new set up on the road is a challenge although the quartet still brings the lighting aspect to fit any size venue they play, from cabin shows to larger venues. Bad People plans to continue to polish their current material and head into the studio later this year. As well as continue to play shows around the region. Find out for yourself what it means to be ‘Bad’ at http://badpeoplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/movement, where you can stream or download their album, Movement.