CONCERT REVIEW - TEER IN FLORIDA
Teer Unveils New Vocalist in Zephyrhills, FL by Mark E. Waterbury
Change can be good sometimes, mainly if change means an improvement. It can be intimidating for a new band member - especially a frontman - to take the stage in front of a fan base that was cultivated with someone else at the mic. Florida rockers Teer decided a few months ago it was time for a change, and new vocalist David McBee was far from intimidated in his first show with the band. In Zephyrhills, the far north Tampa suburb that represents Teer’s backyard, McBee took the stage with a confidence and comfort level usually more prevalent in someone who has been with a band for a long time. The camaraderie extended to the band members, and before the first song was finished, it was apparent McBee had found his way into the hearts of the Teer faithful. Teer’s music is a mid-ground between melodic classic rock, roots metal and 90’s alt, which seemed perfectly suited to McBee’s powerful voice and commanding on stage presence. Vocally a sort of cross between Ronnie James Dio and Sebastian Bach, McBee not only flaunted his immense vocal chops but proved that he is a frontman who knows how to draw the crowd into the show. This may seem easy to do in an intimate setting of a local watering hole, but the way McBee exhorted the crowd, you could tell this is something he could still accomplish to great affect if the show had been in Raymond James Stadium. While unveiling a couple of new songs, most of the music was from the previous two Teer releases. The fans were loyal enough that they knew to the words to previous Teer songs, and it was obvious they approved of McBee’s vocal treatment of them.
Even with McBee being the focal point in concert, the core band members also proved why they have managed to build this solid fan base in a town straddling the border of urban and rural locales. Guitarist Nathan Boone nearly matched McBee’s onstage energy, as he traded riffs and solos with Shane French, the latter noted for his work with Savatage vocalist Jon Oliva’s band and formerly with Circle II Circle. The potent rhythm machinery was fueled by bassist Rob DeVore and the band’s namesake, drummer John Teer. The band members are quite talented and very tight in concert, while still playing with a sort of loose abandon that is the hallmark of a killer rock show. They obviously have fun onstage and are very well-versed at letting their fans into the party. Along with their own music, Teer provided a smoking version of Dio’s “Last In Line” and capped the night with a last gulp of beer thank you featuring a metal charged version of the Kiss classic “Cold Gin.” Teer fans will not have to wait too long for a recording with McBee at the mic, as the band will soon be entering the studio to record a CD, produced by Jim Morris who has worked with Dixie Dregs, Savatage, and Third Eye Blind among others. Teer is also hoping to tour in Europe where they have a fairly large fan base. If Teer and McBee continue to give their fans on both side of the pond the kind of intense show they did in Zephyrhills, then not only will they keep their fans happy, they should expand their fan base as well. |
