Monica Topping
Tri-City Weekly


People love familiarity. Wait, let me rephrase that -- people take comfort in the familiar. It's a concept that has probably kept companies like Coca-Cola and Chevrolet in business for decades.

It's also the reason that, as frustrating as it may be for bands who write all of their own songs, people will swarm to the nearest casino to see a band that plays nothing but someone else's music.

Classic rock and country cover bands are nothing new, and if you've ever looked around to find something to do on a Friday night, you know that. Do you want to drive north to see the Roadmasters play country covers (with some originals), stay in town to check out the Band Behind Your Hedge's classic rock covers, or maybe head down to the Eel River Valley to get silly to Eyes Anonymous' '80s covers? These (or variations thereof) are often your weekend options.

Some bands choose to take the familiarity concept a little further, and design their entire set around one group or artist. A few years ago, I followed a group of my friends out to Blue Lake to see a Neil Diamond tribute. Smarmy as ever, the band was pretty decent, but somehow their skill level seemed to matter less than the fact that we knew almost every song they were playing, and we danced (and sang) the night away.

Bret Bailey, who local music scene fans may recognize from his former bands The Common Vice and Que La Chinga, said that he was singing karaoke one night and decided to dig out one of his standards -- a Neil Diamond tune. Some ladies heard him and told him afterward that they really liked it -- that his voice did justice to Diamond's music. That got some thoughts rolling around in Bailey's head, and in passing, he started talking to other local musician friends and gauging their interest in the idea of starting a Neil Diamond tribute band.

Bailey wrangled guitarist Ryan McGonagle of The Great Salvation, Zac Institute and other bands; drummer Clinton Smith, keyboard player Jorden Goodspeed and eventually, Strix Vega bass player Andy Powell to round out The Solitary Men, which Bailey was heading on vocals and rhythm guitar.

The Solitary Men started practicing early this year, and made their debut in early May, playing at Nocturnum nightclub in Eureka for a '70s themed Six Rivers Planned Parenthood benefit. They followed up with a benefit for Gulf Coast cleanup a couple of weeks ago. They pulled out all of the classic Diamond requirements -- “Solitary Man,” “Cherry, Cherry,” “Sweet Caroline.”

Bailey says that The Solitary Men are actually fans of Diamond, and wanted to stay pretty true to Diamond's original musical intentions, but given the entire band's history as rock musicians, it's really Neil Diamond through the lens of a rock band. And that is a beautiful thing. As far as I can tell, The Solitary Men are still working on booking gigs through this summer and beyond, but rest assured, I'll let you know when I find out where they're playing.

This Saturday, another classic rock tribute is debuting at the Jambalaya -- members of The Nucleus, Strix Vega and more have come together for Full Moon Fever (you probably need to sign into Facebook to see that link), a Tom Petty tribute. The show will start at 10 p.m. with a $5 cover. Before hand, starting around 7 p.m., the Jambalaya will show “Running Down a Dream,” a documentary of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, on their big projection screen.

Who doesn't love being able to sing along to entire set (or close to it) of music they love?

Monica Topping is the weekend mid-day DJ and host of the Slug Festivities Guide on 94.1 KSLG-FM. She also cannot get enough of her guy friends in sequined shirts and dreams of someday being one of The Solitary Men's backup singers. Check out her website, www.RadioRadioHumboldt.com, or e-mail her at Monica@kslg.com.