Rusted Reserve brought the noise to their April 2023 Tiny stacks performance at the New Lebanon Library. As the band took the stage, lead guitarist Jason Rhoads strummed his overdriven Les Paul, sending a shockwave of sound through the quiet library— yup, definitely on. “Thanks for having us,” he said, and immediately launched into the infectious guitar riff of “Wanted Man,” a blistering blues rock song that set the tone for the next 50 minutes of music from the Troy Ohio band.
As titles like “Wanted Man” and “King of the Road” suggest, Rusted Reserve’s songs often depict outlaws, sometimes fighting to escape a sordid and violent past, other times reflecting fondly on their glory days. Lead singer Jason Forsyth delivers the lyrics in the shape of rough-hewn blues melodies, the grit of his voice adding an air of truth to stories of bootlegging and fleeing from the law. Jason Rhodes leads the band instrumentally, alternating seamlessly between funk-inflected guitar melodies and soaring solos, with bassist Eric Bauman doubling seemingly-improvised guitar licks in real time. In the second half of the set, the band displays its softer side with a series of acoustic songs from their 2022 album, Thrice– “Gotta Go,” “Heavy Load,” and “Quicksand”– before concluding with a high-energy rocker, “Fast Life.”
Set List
- “Wanted Man”
- “The Maze”
- “Wild Eyed”
- “Your Song”
- “King of the Road”
- “Backwoods”
- “Waiting For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago” (ZZ Top Cover)
- “Gotta Go”
- “Heavy Load”
- “Quicksand”
- “Face Our Fear”
- “Fast Life”
Personnel
- Jason Rhoads - Guitar, Backup Vocals
- Jason Forsyth - Lead Vocals
- Braylon Rhoads - Drums
- Eric Bauman - Bass
Rusted Reserve's Thrice is available now on major digital streaming platforms. To learn more about the band, visit them on Facebook.
Tiny Stacks is a collaboration of The Dayton Metro Library, WYSO, and the International College of broadcasting with support from Friends of the Dayton Metro Library.
