Not about to 'Tone' it down

By KATHLEEN HAY KHAY@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM

- They're a little bit rock and roll, and a little bit country.

A little bit Buddy, a little bit Cuddy, a little bit Cash. A little bit Pink Floyd, a little bit Green Day.

And that's the way The ToneKats like it.

"We're a bit like chameleons," jokes Dave Bull. "We all bring in a little bit of our own genres, but we also want to play what keeps the crowds want to hear.

"We want to keep them happy and the fill the hall."

Bull is at the core of the Kingston-based band. Local audiences may be most familiar with him for his recent appearance starring in the Buddy Holly Lives! show held at Aultsville Theatre this past September. No stranger to the entertainment biz, Bull has been performing for 30 years, including 12 with Kingston's The Rave, as well as the Rockabilly All Stars.

The ToneKats have been evolving since 2003 when Bull's earlier Holly show, Buddy Holly Live!, went on hiatus for a year and the All Stars did a morph. It's current configuration is a full-spectrum rock and roll band with Bull (vocals, guitar), Jay "Smitty" Smith (vocals, guitar), Johnny "Silvertone" Sedgwick (bass) and Chris "Junior" Melanson (drums).

One of the reasons the band does so well is that it spans all ages, figures Bull.

"Myself, I'm 50, and Johnny's 46, so we're the ones who know a bit of everything," he explains. "Smitty's in his 30s and is the longest-running solo act in Kingston, playing every Sunday and Monday at Kingston's Brass Pub for 11 years.

"Our drummer, Junior, is 24 and knows what younger audiences like to hear."

The band plans on drawing upon their unique ability when they perform at Nativity Hall on Dec. 31. Doors open at 8 p. m., and entertainment begins at 9 p. m.

Tickets are $55 (couple) and $30 (single). They may be purchased at Nativity Bowling, 301 McConnell, and the Pop Shoppe, 101 Emma.

Admission includes prizes and a midnight lunch. For more information, call Dan Roy at 613-931-3566.

"We like to read the vibe of the room," ll. "Between the four of us, we've probably got 2,500 songs in our pocket.

"We like to take requests on the fly, if we overhear someone saying they'd like to hear Johnny Cash, we'll play some.

"We could have almost had the name The Request Line."

The band's pedigree is impeccable.

Smith has opened for Blue Rodeo, Kim Mitchell and David Wilcox, while Sedgwick is a veteran of the Toronto circuit having opened for Our Lady Peace, I Mother Earth, as well as Blue Rodeo. Melanson is well-acquainted with the top bands from Kingston, and a great ear for understanding what music people are enjoying.

"We want people to feel comfortable, but also to feel that they've got their money's worth," said Bull. "It's important to have decent equipment, professional lighting, we don't skimp and it runs very smoothly.

"It's like a business, but it's an art, not a business."

Article ID# 2223250