Show Review-Gem City Sound

The excitement was building as we climbed in the van to make the trip to Fairborn to see Gem City Sound and Magic Jackson at One Eyed Jacks. The place was buzzing as we arrived shortly before the show and as always we were greeted first by Brothers Mike and Rex Smith of Gem City Sound and their traditional BIG hug. I first met the twins a few weeks earlier at Canal Street when the band opened for Boogie Matrix. When we arrived, these two “kind of big guys” approached us as soon as we exited the van. This was not so unusual because I was traveling with Chubby and Kim, everyone is always anxious to see Chubby. Kim introduced me to the twins and as a polite gesture I extended my hand for a hand shake. Before I knew it, I was in the grasp of a BIG hug from Rex, he said, “we are huggers around here, better get used to it.” And yes, I received the same greeting from Mike; these guys made me feel like family before we even entered the doors even putting me on the guest list for the evening. It was a great night, so when I saw the opportunity to catch the band at One Eyed Jacks with Magic Jackson I was there.

Of course when we arrived we received the same customary greeting and the party was on. Due to scheduling issues for Magic Jackson, Gem City Sound found themselves headlining the show. Following Magic Jackson wasn’t going to be easy, these guys put on one of their best shows since the band change. But Gem City Sound was pumped and ready to accept the challenge; they did just that. The band consists of Rex Smith (Drums), Mike Smith (Bass), and Jeremy Canonico (Guitar/Vocal/Percussion) blend together a sound that they describe as Jam Rock; call it what you want these guys know how to play. Jeremy is an amazing guitar player from Columbus and his distinctive voice adds to the bands presence on stage. On Drums, Rex gives the band a beat and energy that the other guys seem to feed off of and I have never seen any one play the Bass with as much passion as Mike. He doesn’t play the Bass, he annihilates it. Together, the trio puts together a terrific set of music and is quickly becoming a Dayton Favorite.

The band started their onslaught with Barriers and at little Beverly Hills Cop tease that transitioned into the song Diamonds on the Beach. The first set ended with the song Fountain of youth. After a short break the band wasted no time getting crowd back to the dance floor with their version of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. The most exciting part of the set was when the band performed Pillow Fight vs. Muffin Man a Frank Zappa cover and audience favorite. The crowd was thinning but the guys gave their full attention to those of us still in attendance. They ended the night with the song Running Home.