Powerhaus

Lisa Smith's Powerhaus
Rock n Roll Heaven
July 24, 2008

What do ya get when ya take Lisa Smith, the winner of multiple singing contests, and add her to Chuck Page, the winner of multiple guitar wars? Powerhaus. Lisa Smith’s Powerhaus. Arguably, if you’re a guitar worshipper, you could call the band Chuck Page’s Powerhaus, but to be fair, you’d have to put in Lisa’s name so Chuck n Lisa’s Powerhaus would be more fitting. But they say the voice is the defining aspect of a band, so Lisa n Chuck’s Powerhaus would probably be the wisest choice. How about I just call em Powerhaus. I don’t wanna leave out Lisa OR Chuck in the equation when mentioning the name but for typing purposes and due to my unparalleled laziness, Powerhaus it is for the rest of this review.

Opening for the Headpins, this collection of musicians caught my attention immediately not only because of the sexy singer and the voice that filled the room, but the guitar work really blew me away as well. If you’ve never read my reviews before, you’d know I am definitely a guitar worshipper. You all can blame Randy Rhoads for that. Anyone who can make me stand wide eyed and drooling over their guitar work has gotta be fuckin good cuz it doesn’t happen that often. Listening to Chuck is like taking in the best old blues guitarists all mashed into one. You can hear it in his style, Hendrix, Santana, Clapton, Vaughn and Page, Jimmy that is… Sure maybe throwing Chuck’s name around in that list might be a little ambitious but there’s a fuckin good reason the guy won umpteen guitar contests and it ain’t because he’s a pretty boy.

So ya take Chuck’s finger work and mix it with Lisa’s smooth and powerful vocal and you get some pretty accessible tunage. They both do the majority of the song writing and apparently their styles, tastes and feelings about music match perfectly. Currently they’re putting the finishing touches to their upcoming album “Maze of Souls” which is looking at a Halloween 2008 release date and party at Rock n Roll Heaven in Toronto. For all you Glass Tiger fans out there, Powerhaus will be opening for them Oct 10 at the Wingshack, so get out there and check em out. To watch them live is really cool, however, I’m not a fan of the production on the tune I was spinning, “The Verge”, as it totally seems to downplay the band. The band is a whole different ballgame live. Live is where ya gotta see em for the first time or you might get the wrong impression. I think in production a lotta guys get behind the soundboard with the thought in mind that they’re supposed to feature someone in the band so all that band member’s stuff is louder and more pronounced but to me it takes away from the whole package rather than add to it. Sure the band is called Lisa Smith’s Powerhaus but I think a lotta the power is choked out of it with the production in that demo. That’s just me though. What the fuck do I know, I’m just a listener, and a half deaf one at that. I’m not here to score report cards.

That being said, I wanna hear the fully produced album Powerhaus is working on. I just hope they don’t downplay anyone in that band. The bassist, Neil Arnott is holding his own there and by the time I met Peter Greco, that night, he was clearly liquored but instantly likable, fuckin hilarious, and he stayed solid on the skins holding it all together. So none of these people should be devolumized or held back in any way. Being the first band on stage that night, I was a little distracted with my friends and trying to get some drinks down the hatch, cuz I shoot better when I’m snapped, so I didn’t fully immerse myself in Powerhaus. Next time, I’ll be posed in front row like the “the Thinker”, one eye squinted shut and both ears wide open.

Lisa Smith's Powerhaus Official Web Site

Powerhaus Powerhaus Powerhaus Powerhaus Powerhaus Powerhaus