Lauderdale with The Benways, June 28th, 8PM

Lauderdale began in early 2005, shortly after New Year’s Eve. The sound is Rock and Roll without any pretensions. The band, born and raised in the Shoals area of North Alabama, is obviously deep rooted in Southern culture. The Muscle Shoals area has provided no shortage of influences for the band. A lot of the best and most successful music from the 60’s and 70’s was produced and engineered in the band’s hometown. Lauderdale has also been influenced from a wide range of other musical genres as well. Taking mostly from folk, country, bluegrass and Americana, the band performs these styles with their own huge injection of guitar driven Rock and Roll. Their music is saturated with big, beautiful melodies and strong pop hooks with a true southern grace. The band has been compared to many industry greats, including the Jayhawks, Lucero, Drive-by Truckers, R.E.M., and Grant Lee Buffalo.

Lauderdale is the head-on collision of a struggling band coming apart at "the seams and an engineer/songwriter eagerly waiting for the right people to come along. The band experienced a handful of bass players before settling into the current line-up: Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist-Niles Lee, Drummer Patrick Mcdonald and Bassist Corey Hannah. Soon after the band was formed in 2005, a three song demo was recorded for booking and immediately received an overwhelming local response. They played their first show in Birmingham, Alabama, at The Nick, a venue Rolling Stone labeled the “CBGB of the South”. Lauderdale has since shared the stage with bands such as Wild Sweet Orange, Glossary, Jucifer, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Mark Pickerel and many more.

"I love it because its good, goddamn music and because its part of the Muscle Shoals Sound revival that’s taking place back home."
-Alabama Ass Whuppin’ blog

"The vocals are honest and strained and the licks are consistent and complimentary. Lauderdale’s newest is engaging and at times, exceptional."
-CDreviews.com

"They are musicians who create music for dancing, driving, drinking and dreaming. Thier music can’t be pigeonholed or categorized. It is resonant, complex and simply beautiful."
-Bliss Magazine

"Muscle Shoals, AL, boys Niles Lee, Patrick McDonald and Corey Hannah play amiable, sincere rock and roll highlighted by Pete Buck-esque guitar and vocals that veer Vedderwards."
-Flagpole (Athens, Ga.)

"They know the formula and execute it effortlessly."
-75orless.com

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