Perpetual Groove
Encyclopedia
Perpetual Groove is an American jam band
that originated in 1997 in Savannah, Georgia
. PGroove incorporates a blend of traditional Southern rock
, funk
, jazzy improvisation, indie rock
and synth loops. They have now relocated to Athens, Georgia
.
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.
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. They have also played in Japan, Amsterdam and aboard crusie ships at the Jam Cruise
and Xingolati
music festivals.
John Hruby replaced McDonald on keyboards in June 2008, making the current line-up of Butler, Perry, Suttle and Hruby. 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 M.S.M. (My Subversive Media) and still occasionally plays 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. Since 2008 the band has toured far less and have been working on new material.
In November of 2011, Perpetual Groove announced that John Hruby would be leaving the band, and Matt McDonald would be returning to playing full time.
weekend known as "Amberland". It began as a party for friends and family on the property of Mark Day in Jefferson, GA, but has now outgrown its Jackson County roots and has had to relocate each year. From 2007 to present, Amberland is held at Cherokee Farms, just outside LaFayette
in northwest Georgia. The band plays long sets over the weekend and Brock Butler traditionally plays an acoustic set, known as BrockFest on Sunday mornings during the weekend. Amberland X (May 2011) was the first of the festivals to feature opening acts, with bands like Zoogma, Mantras, Under The Porch, Former Champions, and Noise[Org
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
that originated in 1997 in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. PGroove incorporates a blend of traditional Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, jazzy improvisation, indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and synth loops. They have now relocated to Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
.
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 DesignSavannah College of Art and Design
SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, is a private, accredited and degree-granting university with locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France.-History:...
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.
The band first attracted attention at Jake's Roadhouse in Atlanta and JJ Cagney's on Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
'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
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a non-fiction work by John Berendt. Published in 1994, the book was Berendt's first, and became a The New York Times bestseller for 216 weeks following its debut....
with several other local bands, including The Eric Culberson
Eric Culberson
Eric Culberson is an American blues guitarist and singer/songwriter from Savannah, Georgia. His music has been reviewed by Living Blues, Real Blues Magazine, and Blues Reveu magazines...
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
Paul Hipp
-Early years:Paul Hipp was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hipp left Pennsylvania for New York City immediately after high school, starting his career playing for tips on the streets of Greenwich Village while studying acting with Mira Rostova and at HB Studio with...
and Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson may refer to:*Jack Thompson , American boxer*Jack Thompson , Australian film and television star*Jack Thompson , disbarred Florida attorney...
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
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Armstrong Atlantic State University, also referred to as Armstrong Atlantic, Armstrong, or simply AASU, is a four-year public university part of the University System of Georgia. It is located on a campus in suburban Savannah, Georgia, United States...
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
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
. The Georgia Theatre
Georgia Theatre
The Georgia Theatre is a prominent music venue in Athens, Georgia, located in an old cinema. Many prominent acts from the early music of Athens, Georgia performed at the Theatre, including a range of folk, popular and country acts. The Theatre is on the Athens Music History Walking Tour sponsored...
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. They have also played in Japan, Amsterdam and aboard crusie ships at the Jam Cruise
Jam Cruise
Held annually in January, Jam Cruise is a music festival on a cruise ship. It features artists of the jam band genre playing at multiple venues aboard the vessel...
and Xingolati
Xingolati
Xingolati is a floating music festival, with musical groups including The Flaming Lips, G Love and Special Sauce, Medeski Martin and Wood, Lucent Dossier Experience, Perpetual Groove, John Popper Project featuring DJ Logic, Slightly Stoopid Acoustic, Particle, Tea Leaf Green, The Everyone...
music festivals.
John Hruby replaced McDonald on keyboards in June 2008, making the current line-up of Butler, Perry, Suttle and Hruby. 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 M.S.M. (My Subversive Media) and still occasionally plays 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
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
and The Ying Yang Twins. Since 2008 the band has toured far less and have been working on new material.
In November of 2011, Perpetual Groove announced that John Hruby would be leaving the band, and Matt McDonald would be returning to playing full time.
Amberland
The band hosts their own gathering every Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend known as "Amberland". It began as a party for friends and family on the property of Mark Day in Jefferson, GA, but has now outgrown its Jackson County roots and has had to relocate each year. From 2007 to present, Amberland is held at Cherokee Farms, just outside LaFayette
LaFayette, Georgia
LaFayette is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city population was 6,702. The city is the county seat of Walker County.LaFayette is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in northwest Georgia. The band plays long sets over the weekend and Brock Butler traditionally plays an acoustic set, known as BrockFest on Sunday mornings during the weekend. Amberland X (May 2011) was the first of the festivals to feature opening acts, with bands like Zoogma, Mantras, Under The Porch, Former Champions, and Noise[Org
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. 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 of Liquid Lux Light Design has been touring with the band since late summer 2011, 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.