Step into Firestone Live and take a deep breath.
Notice anything different from the other venues you’ve frequented in Orlando?
Fresh air. For once, you won’t be leaving the concert smelling like an ashtray.
But for a place with a name like Firestone, the air conditioning is intense, so
be sure to bring a jacket. When you need a break from the cold, there’s a patio
outside where the bands and various artists set up their merchandise stands.
The Jonnie Morgan Band appeared to have the most merchandise of everyone there,
displaying a range of items from t-shirts, bumper stickers and even mouse pads.
“We take what we do very seriously,” Morgan says. “We are a professional band
and try to improve our performance every time we play.”
They also believe in the importance of good marketing, including a focus
on social media, where they have a Twitter and a Tumblr as well as an official
band website.
According to their website, The Jonnie Morgan band
is the drink that will be in your hand if you put Paul Simon, Chicago and the
Dave Matthews Band in a blender. Formed in 2009 with original members Jonnie
Morgan (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Jeremy Adams (bass), they released their
first EP in 2011 and now have 7 members total including Bruno Ufret on drums, Matthew Mill on trumpet, trombonist Corey Paul and Saxophonist Jose Rojas. If you take a quick look at JMB’s upcoming tour
dates, you’ll notice that just about every show is at a World of Beers location,
and there’s a story behind that. Adams and Morgan played gigs at the University
Blvd. location when they started out and, through some extensive networking,
were able to get in touch with a person from the company who was a fan of their
music, a fan who booked them for 19 different shows in various states including
Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. The Dungeon Martini Lounge was another place
that helped them get started, and where their longest running pre-show
tradition originated. Although the lounge no longer exists, Adams and Morgan
still take a shot of Jack Daniels before every show just as they did 4 years
ago.
Their first full length album of 13 songs was
recorded at Stark Lake and Morris Sound and is currently in Post-Production.
Generally, Morgan will come up with a melody and lyrics that convey an emotion
or experience people can relate to. For Adams, music theory is seen as a tool
box with tools like the Pentatonic scale, used by most of the top 40 pop hits
in the last few decades. “It sounded exotic to most pre 20th century
musicians, but at this point it’s so engrained in our musical beings that it’s
nearly impossible to avoid.” During their set, which lasted a little more than
an hour, Morgan made sure to address the crowd with a contagious enthusiasm.
“We’ve made an oath as a band,” he declared. “that if we walk off stage and
we’re not drenched and exhausted, we haven’t given you enough!” The band would
like to thank their families for their continued support through the years and
for rarely missing a show. “ Believe it or not, this isn’t the easiest job in
the world, but hearing the cheers at our shows make it all worthwhile.”
For more information about the Jonnie Morgan Band,
visit the following sites:
Twitter: @jonniemorgan
Tumblr: http://jmbmusic.tumblr.com Official Website:
jonniemorganband.com
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