Pop band with Marley vibe
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Key points ° 56 Hope Road ° 10 p.m. Saturday ° Mahogany Ridge Brewery and Grill, Fifth Street and Lincoln Avenue ° Free ° 879-3773
56 Hope Road is the address for the famous Bob Marley compound in Kingston, Jamaica, from which reggae radiated out to the rest of the world. When a Chicago-based band chose 56 Hope Road as its name, its members had no plans to become a reggae band. What they wanted to take from Marley's legacy was his positive message as told through their own brand of jazz-infused pop music.
"Our goal is not to put out a specific message, but we have a great energy on stage," said Hope Road's singer and guitar player Steve Goveia. "We try to involve the audience and get everyone ready to have a good time."
56 Hope Road has been touring full time since September, saying goodbye to the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago and its home stage at the Wise Fools Pub to take a shot at making it.
56 Hope Road formed more than five years ago as a rootsy acoustic band with an upright bass and a hand drum. Throughout the years, the drummer, who has a master's degree in jazz performance, moved to the drum set. The upright bass disappeared, and the electric bass took its place.
In September, the band members gave up their apartments, quit their jobs, made 56 Hope Road T-shirts and bought a 33-foot mobile home. They hit the road with no plans to stop touring until they had reached their ceiling.
"We want to build it on our own and get as big as we can," Goveia said. "We want to be on the world stage."
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