Sikeston band brings hard rock to area

Blind Velvet band members said they do not really know where their band name came from, but they have multiple stories they tell when asked for its origin.

The version Alan "Big Al" Newton, the band's vocalist, tells has it coming from the book "Blind Amos and his Velvet Principals". Newton said the main character goes blind and has to judge people on their character rather than their appearances.

Blind Velvet has been a band since 2016, but this iteration of the group started in 2020. They are a general hard rock band. Newton said they are like "hard Skynyrd". Since 2020, the band has put out three albums in three years, with a fourth in the works.

"When we all get together is whenever the magic happens. Then we work pretty fast from there. The greatest thing is that we're all three best friends. That's why we put out three records in three years," Newton said.

The three band members -- Newton, Evan Irwin and Matt "Fuzz" Woodard -- grew up in Sikeston, Missouri, but did not meet until they were teenagers. However, growing up they each knew they wanted to be in a band in some capacity at an early age. Newton said he started playing guitar at age 9, and Woodard started at 11. Irwin, the drummer, took it a step further and is a classically trained piano player, as well as a guitar player who went to University of California-Berkeley and Belmont for guitar and composition.

Woodard, the bass player, said his favorite song to perform is "Lights Out", because it is a really well written song. Newton said his favorite song to play is the groovy "Lechuga".

A few of the bands they were and are inspired by are Jet, Wolfmother and The White Stripes, as well as southern rock bands, from which they get a good bit of their "sound".

"It's more like day-to-day lives, authenticity and honesty. And also the fact that, you know, beer is great, so we got to drink a lot of that. So we use that in our songs quite often," Newton said.

Since 2020, the band has played more than 200 shows, their favorite venue being The Rude Dog Pub in downtown Cape Girardeau. The band members said it is the most rowdy intimate venue they have ever been in.

"We're there to have a great time, so don't take it so seriously. Enjoy yourself, enjoy life," Newton said about those who come to their shows.

Blind Velvet has several shows lined up -- Saturday, Aug. 19, in Van Buren, Missouri, with Power Mill and Hellbenders; Saturday, Aug. 26, the Jammin Luau benefit at The Camp at Lake Wappapello; and Saturday, Oct. 14, homecoming show at The Rude Dog.

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