Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown played an outdoor show in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 16, 2024 at Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard. They brought along Nashville boys Ace Monroe who were a perfect fit to tour with these guys. Ace Monroe started to draw more people into the stage area where the show was happening. The local Carolina Hurricanes were in the NHL playoffs and some people were glued to the big screen televisions. Things really seemed to amplify (no pun, pun, intended) when Tyler and the band hit the stage. The sun was still shining bright when they did, which made photography a challenge given that there was no backdrop on the stage. It did manage to set during the course of their show, but Tyler and the boys weren’t phased the least little bit by the element. They cranked out standards from their ever growing catalog as well as many tracks from their latest album Electrified. The three piece had Diego Navaira joining them on bass. There were quite a few Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown shirts in the crowd as well as one Larkin Poe (if you don’t get the reference, then Google it for more info), which Tyler made mention of from the stage. Tyler is a freaking beast on that guitar with a smooth combination of blues and rock. When you combine that with the talent of Graham Whitford’s (son of Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford) guitar slinging, it makes for one hell of a two guitar attack. Drummer Caleb Crosby is a beast on that kit such a treat to not only watch, but photograph. The guy is full of energy, beyond that of most drummers, and is quite animated. It was a great show from beginning to end! You watch and/or listen to these guys and you can’t believe that they’re not absolutely huge by this point. They did go the big label route for a while, but they left and have been doing it their way, on their own label ever since. The talent in this band blows away so much stuff that has been elevated to a higher level of success. There are no smoke and mirrors, no auto-tune, no machines making up for a lack of talent. These guys are the real deal and a throwback to when you HAD to have the talent because there were no machines yet to make up for it. Go see these guys if they come near you whether in a headlining or opening slot position. You can thank me later.
Review and pix by I’m Music Magazine Owner/Editor Johnny Price