Corey Wayne

Corey Wayne Band Review at Olde Main Street Pub and Grill in Green Bay, WI

By TJ
December 2, 2010
It is somewhat of a rare sight to see Corey Wayne perform outside his main band The Right Ons, but if you do get the chance to see him you’re in for something like never before. I remember the first time I saw him over the summer, it was hot as hell out that day and he was setting up the guitar, drums, and mics. By the time he had it all set up, I thought for sure his bandmates had ditched him for air conditioning, but I was mistaken, he was the band. So when I caught him again tonight at the Olde Main Street Pub there was no surprise at what he was going to do, and I could enjoy his set without the initial shock that I had the first time. A departure from his band, The Right Ons, Corey Wayne is all about nostalgic dirty blues. So what was the shock? Corey plays the guitar, drums harmonica, and sings all at the same time and does it remarkably well considering... To be honest, you could close your eyes and pretend there was a band; it wouldn't sound any different with the exception of a missing bass player. The vocals are clean and overdriven because he sings through two vocal mics, giving a real echo in a tin can type of sound to go along with the acoustic or semi acoustic electric guitar. A warmtube driven tone and a delta drum and snare back beat add to the effect. It is almost like listening to some old RCA vinyls from back in the day when blues dominated folk music in the 30s and 40s. It is Corey Wayne's low fi do it yourself approach lends validity to the style of blues he plays. While strumming the guitar and hitting the snare drum with one hand, playing chords or slide with the other he is also using his feet to play the bass drum and high hat. This is minimal blues at its best, a bass drum keeping rhythm like a foot stomping and hardened lyrics to complement the guitar.

There is very little guitar soloing and that is perfectly fine for this style of blues. Most of Corey's songs are about life, loving hard, losing harder, drinking, and death. He also incorporates a few old blues covers. Corey does not have a website, myspace or facebook page with info on his solo act so the only way to find out more about his music is to go see him live. His most recent show was on the November 27th at the Olde Main Street Pub and Grill on 916 Main St. Green Bay, an event that was sadly the last show at this bar because it is being shut down and demolished to make room for development. The Olde Main Street Pub and Grill is most notoriously known as "The Main Stage," which has been hosting great rock and roll shows from 2001 - 2007 and then closing and the reopening under new ownership. When "The Main Stage" reopened as the "Olde Main Street Pub and Grill" shows continued but never had the same energy that it did with the original owners. Sadly all things must come to an end and the show on the 27th was the closing chapter for this legendary bar that has been a part of the music scene for so long. Corey is an extremely talented musician and is great to see live, check him out if you get a chance.

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