Perpetual Groove
| Perpetual Groove | |
|---|---|
 Brock Butler during PGroove's acoustic set in Charlotte, NC on 12/31/07. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Savannah, Georgia, USA |
| Genres | Rock, Jam Band |
| Years active | 1997–2013 (Hiatus) |
| Labels | Tree Leaf Records |
| Website | pgroove.com |
| Members | Brock Butler, Adam Perry, Matt McDonald, Albert Suttle |
| Past members | Joe Stickney, Brett Hinton, John Hruby |
Perpetual Groove (or PGroove) was an American jam band that originated in 1997 in Savannah, Georgia. PGroove incorporated a blend of traditional Southern rock, funk, jazzy improvisation, indie rock and synth loops. The members have now relocated to Athens, Georgia and continue to work on solo and side projects.
History
The band's founding members include Brock Butler on guitar and lead vocals, Adam Perry on bass, Joe Stickney on drums and Brett Hinton on keyboards. The four met at Savannah College of Art and Design during their first year. After graduation, Stickney and Hinton both left the band. In 2001, drummer Albert Suttle and keyboardist Matt McDonald, both then active-duty members of the US Army, met Butler and Perry at a Savannah open-mic night and soon joined Perpetual Groove. After moving out of Savannah they needed a new town to claim (athens ga) the home of REM, WSP, B52's and many more acts over the years.
The band first attracted attention at Jake's Roadhouse in Atlanta and JJ Cagney's on Savannah's Bay Street, which eventually relocated to River Street and later became The Live Wire Music Hall. their most notable show at J. J. Cagney's was a private party for the cast and crew of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil with several other local bands, including The Eric Culberson Trio and a group called "Ciaxa" led by Joe and Eric Layden, who would later form the international jam/funk revue band The Looters. Actors Paul Hipp and Jack Thompson also performed with the bands. As crowds grew, they played larger venues such as Loco's, the [Lucas Theater] (New Year's Eve 2003), SCAD's [Trustees Theater], the Armstrong Center at Armstrong Atlantic State University and [The Roundhouse Railroad Museum]. Since 2006 PGroove has played hometown benefit concerts for the Jolly Foundation, in honor of Butler's childhood friend Mary Ellen McKee. In 2006, PGroove relocated from Savannah to Athens, Georgia. The Georgia Theatre in Athens had become one of the band's main venues prior to the move.
PGroove's first wider US tour was in 2003. Since then they have toured the US extensively, gaining fans on the West Coast and in the Northeast, with a growing fan-base in the South.[citation needed] They have also played in Japan, Amsterdam and aboard cruise ships at the Jam Cruise and Xingolati music festivals.
John Hruby replaced McDonald on keyboards in June 2008, making the line-up of Butler, Perry, Suttle and Hruby from 5/25/08 until 01/01/2012. McDonald played his final official show with the band the Amberland festival on May 25, 2008. He left on amicable terms to focus on his family. McDonald continues to compose and produce music independently under the name which bore his initials M.S.M. but stood for "My Subversive Media" and still occasionally played with Brock Butler and Perpetual Groove. On June 16, 2008 the band announced that John Hruby, formerly of Ohio jamband Guest, was their new keyboard player. He is a long-time friend of the band and was part of side project, The Ruins with Butler, Perry, and drummer Travis Cline of Atlanta's Captain Soularcat. Hruby had previously worked as a producer at Atlanta's Zone Studios where worked on albums for hip-hop acts such as Ciara, Ludacris, David Banner and The Ying Yang Twins.
In November 2011, Perpetual Groove announced that John Hruby would be leaving the band, and Matt McDonald would be returning to playing full time. The new, yet familiar lineup of Perpetual Groove was immediately dubbed as PG 2.012 by fans, referring to the "definitive lineup" of the band.[1]
Hiatus
On January 13th 2013 pgroove.com released a message from the band saying they would be taking a hiatus at the end of the tour.[2] Albert, Matt and Adam will continue touring and recording under the new name Ghost Owl.[3] Brock apologized to fans saying he needs time off to break bad habits and create new good ones.[4] Brock stated that a reunion is not out of the question at some point but he cannot promise or give any time frame. The band performed its final show in front of a sold out audience at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA on April 5, 2013.
Amberland
Lighting
P-Groove had a long relationship with lighting designer Jason Huffer, whose work with intelligent lights and experimental stage set-ups has garnered much attention throughout the fan community as well as the music industry.[citation needed] Huffer is now working full time with the band moe. Josey Hunt shortly worked as the lighting designer, and now works at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA. Matt Mercier and Owen Pike of Liquid Lux Light Design toured with the band from late summer 2011 until April 2013, bringing innovative programming, creative rigs and ever expanding equipment to the P-Groove lighting experience.
Discography
- Perpetual Groove (1999) - The first recording as Perpetual Groove with the original lineup. The album is not currently available for sale.
- Sweet Oblivious Antidote (2003) - The first album to feature McDonald and Suttle.
- All This Everything (2004) - There is a trance infused sound on this album.
- LIVELOVEDIE (2007) - This album has significantly more vocals and an "arena rock" sound.
- Heal (2009) - The first album with Hruby.
- Honey Cuts (2010) - EP with three tracks recorded during the Heal sessions that were not included on the final album.