Can the "jam band" tag can be fairly applied to Green Lemon?
"That's kind of what we get portrayed as, but it's pretty different in a lot of regards," said guitarist Steve Schaben.
Green Lemon's brand of danceable jams are big on slow-building, sparse grooves; progressive rock; electronica; and solos that have a point. In short, the band didn't graduate magna cum laude from Jerry Garcia University. Still, jam fans seem to like what they do, and they've found a home among jam bands, living the nomadic summer lifestyle of the festivalgoer.
CONCERT PLANS
Since February, the Edmond-native band has been zigzagging across the country, by plane and automobile, hitting jam-friendly festivals such as the recent Dfest in Tulsa. Festivals like these are a great place for the band to enlarge its fan base, and to stretch out musically.
"There's a lot more improvising in the live show than there is on the disc," said Schaben, who said his jazz studies at the University of Central Oklahoma's top-notch program prepared him for Green Lemon's fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants live shows.
Friday's show at the Bricktown Ballroom is one of Green Lemon's frequent homecomings " they tend to return to Oklahoma two or three times a year.
All concertgoers are strongly encouraged to wear white shirts, which will play havoc with the custom black-light setup the band has arranged. As a reward for doing so, the first 100 souls through the door will get a free live disc. "Tory Troutman
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