For most club bands, the concept of a major record contract is the culmination of a dream, the top of the musical heap, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
But for The Samples, based in Boulder, Colo., a major record deal with Arista was a rather unpleasant diversion that hasn't a whole lot to do with where the band is today. "They wanted us to be a Top 40 band," said bassist Andy Sheldon, "and that's not what this band is all about."So the band dumped its deal with Arista Records and set out to do what it does best: tour America's finest clubs.
Wednesday and Thursday, The Samples - so named because the band once survived by feasting on grocery store free samples - called upon the Zephyr, where near standing-room-only crowds danced and twisted their way through nightly sets of 20-plus songs that could only be described as eclectic.
"We take some chances live that you don't hear on the album," Sheldon understates. In fact, you might not even recognize the tunes.
No doubt about it, The Samples are a different breed in concert. While their studio recordings could be described as mellow, if not cerebral, their live performances are an exercise in frenetic energy. Emphasis on the exercise.
Thursday's performance kicked off with U2-ish "When It Rains," which despite Sean Kelly's indecipherable lyrics set the up-tempo dance tone for the rest of the night. Following immediately were "African Ivory," "On the Field" and "Waited Up" from the band's catalog, after which the band returned to newer material with "Nothing Lasts for Long," "Stone Tears" and "Suburbia," all from the band's new album entitled "No Room" (W.A.R. Records).
All were resoundingly popular among the predominantly college-age crowd, most of whom have been following The Samples since they opened for Johnny Clegg several years ago at Kingsbury Hall.
For long-time fans, the current version of The Samples is decidedly different. There is less focus on reggae (though the band's reggae-rock "Giants" was perhaps the evening's best), and more emphasis on World Beat, African rhythms, ska and a bizarre mixture of art rock.
The musical variety was refreshing, elevating the band beyond imitative into a realm of creativity and originality (though the comparisons to Paul Simon, Sting and Peter Gabriel are inevitable).
The consensus at the Zephyr: The Samples are an exceptional band. And it's unfortunate this quartet suffers from the short-sited label of a quirky little "regional" band that merely flirts with national acclaim. It's a curse that could well sentence The Samples to premature and undeserved obscurity.
Of course, other regional bands have made a national splash: The Hooters (Philadelphia), the Georgia Satellites (Athens, Ga.), and the Fabulous Thunderbirds (Austin) come to mind.
Could The Samples be next? Possibly. And if any "regional" band from the Rocky Mountains deserves to break out, it's probably The Samples.
But will it happen? Probably not. Then again, stranger things have happened.