I have been lucky enough to know the members of Groove Stain for quite some time now, and therefore rarely miss a show.

Atlanta’s own 5-piece rock/reggae ensemble consistently brings a lively, engaging vibe to whichever venue they play, and their upcoming performance, this Thursday, December, 17^th, at The Masquerade is sure to be no exception. If you haven’t had the pleasure of attending one of their shows, then you are definitely missing out. These guys are in it to win it, which is why each performance brings a frenzy of thundering drums, powerful, precise guitar riffs and bass lines, all backed by superb trumpet playing.

… frenzy of thundering drums, powerful, precise guitar riffs and bass lines, all backed by superb trumpet playing…

Groove Stain has been a growing part of Atlanta’s local music scene since 1997, and through regional touring has made quite the name for themselves. They can be caught at various venues throughout the Southeast, with upcoming shows in Tennessee, as well as North and South Carolina. After years of catching this band in settings of all sizes and locations, I am thrilled at their return to the Masquerade. Groove Stain constantly packs the house and I, for one, am fighting for a place in the front row.

Groove Stain seems right at home onstage, especially when playing The Masquerade. With such a regular following, shows at this location exude a welcoming, affable atmosphere, and you are sure to leave wanting more. (Like possibly one of their CDs, which are available at their merchandise counter at their live shows, and also through iTunes, which offers not only their first two CDs, 2004’s The Other 9 to 5, and 2007’s self-titled, Groove Stain, but also several DVDs featuring live performances).

… yet another phenomenal collaboration by one of Atlanta’s hardest working and most fun-loving talents…

Groove Stain recently played Duluth’s Sweetwater Live, bringing their usual and remarkable energy to an eager audience. Jon Etheridge’s talent shines on the trumpet, and his obvious love of music is evident in his stage presence. Etheridge and frontman Eric “Erok” Patterson trade humorous banter with each other and the audience alike, which is just one of the many aspects that make Groove Stain shows so enjoyable. These guys are fun, friendly, and ferociously talented!

Patterson’s voice is both melodic and raw, his guitar playing fierce and seemingly effortless, and perfect for the slightly punk flavor of their songs. He combines personal, thought-provoking lyrics with thrilling, upbeat cadence. Mike Hatton’s thumping bass lines accompany Brian “Daggs” Daggett’s powerful drumming to set the tempo for the rest of the band. Each member gets his own time to shine with aptly placed solos, which is where we get earful of guitarist Chris Pope’s extraordinary skills.

… thrilled to watch their climb to stardom…

The band is currently putting the finishing touches on their third album, due for an early spring 2010 release. If this album is anything like their first two, both of which spend regular time in my CD player, it will be yet another phenomenal collaboration by one of Atlanta’s hardest working and most fun-loving talents. Groove Stain has nowhere to go but up, and I, for one, am thrilled to watch their climb to stardom.

Want to know what you are getting yourself into? Check out their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/groovestain and prepare to become an instant fan.  For ticket information on this weekend’s show, visit www.masq.com and www.groovestain.com

(Editor: initially this article came out with a wrong date for the Groove Stain’s appearance at The Masquerade. The correct date as corrected now is Thursday, December, 17^th. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please, always feel free to give us feed back in the comments area if you see a wrong fact and want us to correct us or are simply angry with us for messing up.)