BY ANDREW BAILEY
BG Independent News Correspondent
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is ready to return to the damn stage after their pandemic layoff.
The “front porch blues” band is set to perform at the Black Swamp Arts Festival on Sept. 10 at 8:10 p.m. on the main stage.
After a yearlong hiatus from regular live shows due to COVID-19, the band is back to their “bread and butter.”
The band features The Reverend Peyton — whose own mom even calls him The Reverend, rather than Joshua — on a variety of guitars, Breezy Peyton on the washboard, and Max Senteney on a five-gallon bucket with drum attachments are touring to promote their new album, “Dance Songs for Hard Times.”
Borne from pandemic-induced isolation at his home in Brown County, Indiana, their 10th studio album, released on April 9, expresses The Reverend’s feelings toward “the world collapsing around him,” his wife Breezy being hospitalized due to sickness, and a longing to return to what he knew: performing live music.
“In the early stages of (the pandemic), I was in a panic. I didn’t know which end was up,” he said.
Then, their home’s power went out for four days. “With no electricity, it was just me and a guitar.”
“I’d never felt more lonesome or far away from everything else.”
So, he dove into his passion for songwriting to cope. Most of the songs were written during the power outage, and before he knew it, the band had a full-length LP ready to be recorded.
The album’s emotional intensity peaks on the acoustic track, “No Tellin’ When,” where the band yearns to see and hug their loved ones in person again.
The Reverend’s favorite song on the record is the opening track, “Ways and Means,” which details the financial insecurity many Americans have experienced for generations. As a self-proclaimed guitar nerd, he said he enjoys how the guitar, lyrics, and background vocals on the track complement each other to set the tone for the album.
He has the guitar proficiency to back up his love for the instrument too. During a typical show, he has at least seven guitars tuned and ready for their respective times to shine. From homemade cigar box guitars to custom-made finished guitars, each one has its purpose, no matter how odd they look.
“I love (guitars) that sound beautiful, but don’t necessarily sound normal. I like things that have a little bit more character,” he said. “When people think of guitars, they think of a couple of the most popular brands, but the sky’s the limit. I’ve had extremely specific sounds in mind and have been to get it realized through lesser-known guitar builders.”
The unusual instruments extend to the rest of the band too. Breezy plays a washboard, utilizing the cleaning device for percussion. And Senteney plays a large plastic bucket turned into a makeshift drum set.
Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band has a unique visual style, and The Reverend himself has a sound that often makes audiences count the number of instruments on the stage.
He uses a picking style called fingerstyle, which imitates the sounds of both a guitar and bass, through just one instrument. “It tends to shock some crowds,” he said. “They’ll start to hear a bass, but not see one on stage. Eventually, they realize the bass sound is coming from my guitar. Fingerstyle can really elevate a song, and it’s something I love to do during live shows.”
The often-unexpected elements of the band and their music is something they’re hoping will give the fans at the BSAF a memorable experience. And their new album is the flagship of their set, The Reverend said.
“Dance Songs for Hard Times” is intended to get audiences doing just that: dancing after the hard times.
“Whoever comes out to see our show can expect some of the Americana and blues they know from us. We’re coming to Bowling Green with real ‘from-the-heart,’ handmade music.”
