the Becky Chace Band
Have you ever wished you could have seen your favorite band or singer in the clubs before they hit it big? Elvis in Memphis, The Beatles in Liverpool, Springsteen in Asbury Park, U2 in Dublin, Pearl Jam in Seattle? Are you fed up with formalistic music and want the real deal? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, meet The Becky Chace Band (The BCB). Led by lead singer, Becky Chace, voted the Best Female Vocalist by the readers of The Providence Phoenix two years in a row, they prove nightly that the magic of rock and roll music still exists. In an era saturated with the latest pop flavor of the day, the BCB reminds us not only where the music came from, but also, where it is capable of going.
In the best tradition of rock's great live acts, the show is never the same. It is a dynamic experience. See Becky hold the audience spellbound with the acoustic "Gold" one minute and then rock the house with the bluesy "Vamp" the next. Watch the crowd dance to the up-tempo "It's My Heart" and scream for more after the rockabilly swing of "Rosie." It is no exaggeration to say that Becky is the point where Lucinda Williams and Susan Tedeschi might intersect. For in one show the listener gets it all-a little folk, some blues, a touch of country, and a whole lot of rock and roll. In synthesizing much that has gone before them, the BCB creates their own unique style, which can only truly be described as BCB music.
In recognition of that music, The Becky Chace Band recently captured four awards in the 2001 Providence Phoenix Best Music Poll. In addition to Becky being named Best Female Vocalist for the second consecutive year, The BCB was voted Best Act, the bands debut CD, Take Your Shot was selected as Best Album and St. Joan was chosen Best Song. The Phoenix commented: There are so many things to get excited about for BCB, it's hard to pin down what the highlights of their year has been.
Becky Chace began singing, writing, and playing guitar at the age of 16. In 1998, she entered the studio to record a CD of her original material. During the making of the CD, Chace won the 1998 WRX Acoustic Challenge in Newport. In October of 1998 she released the solo CD entitled "Play Me." An eclectic collection of original tunes, it quickly garnered favorable reviews.
"Play Me is a polished collection of rock and pop songs with a variety of flavors... Chace's voice is a full bodied alto with the warm tone of the best folk artists, but also the lived-in quality of the most compelling rock and blues singers." Jay Miller, The Patriot Ledger
After finishing her CD, Becky began to assemble a band, signing up guitarist Brian Minisce and bassist Lisa Annunziata. With Becky, Brian, and Lisa all writing new songs, fans quickly discovered that the live shows were separate entities unto themselves and presented something new and different each time.
As the band continued to win over fans with their live show they began recording a new CD. "Take Your Shot" was released in September of 2000. It features ten new BCB songs and reflects the band's musical diversity. One reviewer summed it up nicely:
"Take Your Shot is richly textured without being all over the map. To these ears, the group sounds like a graduate from Neil Young's School of Musical Chemistry as lots of ideas nicely flow together on the band's new CD." Scott McLennan, Worcester Telegram and Gazette
The Boston Globe called the disc "a stunning collection of original roots rock, folk, and blues."
Another said of both the CD and the live show: "Chace, with co-writers Minisce and Annunziata, write and perform soulful, heartfelt material, full of vivid imagery, empathic lyrics, and tough but understated playing." Bob Gulla, The Providence Phoenix
Of Becky's singing one reviewer wrote, "Becky has the voice of an angel who just got her heart ripped out by the devil." Pete Dodd, The New Haven Advocate.
In May of 2001, the band completed filming of its first video for the song Absolute Warhol, also off the CD.
Many observers have noted that this is one of those rare bands whose performances you remember days after the show is over. An experience that on the night they play in your town reminds you of rock's ability to not only get you off your ass, but to liberate your spirit. The BCB believes passionately that music still has something meaningful and powerful to say. As they play out that passion and conviction on stage and on their award winning CD "Take Your Shot," one is moved to hop on the train as it is pulling out of the station. It's sure to be a hell of a ride.Admin
Al
@alniteside
