When you hear the phrase rocky flat, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Me? I wondered if it was the latest incarnation of the many Sylvester Stallone movie, Rocky. Maybe he finally got knocked out for good, flatlined as it were. No, it's not. To hear Brian Whelan, founder and front man of local band RockEFlatt, it technically comes from his phone. The energetic, gravelly voiced Whelan explains, " I have a friend from out east. He always called Stony Plain, Rocky Flat...stony, rocky...plain, flat. I'm a big talk to text guy on my phone, so when I said rocky flat to my phone, it came out rocke flatt. I liked the E flat part of that and so RockEFlatt was born. The band consists of Whelan on lead vocals, brother Dave on rhythm guitar, Michael Simmons on lead guitar, Kelvin Badger on bass and newcomer Bobby Glenn on cajone, essentially a box drum. This is one band that does not play the traditional drum kit, but you would never know it.
It's hard to say what genre of music RockEFlatt fits into as their originals are still forming. With influences from swing to rock to metal, the band is "all over the map" as the guys say. A live show will have some ska, metal, classic rock and everything in between. The band is very new to the music scene even if they players are not. All have been playing for a long time in various projects, but only recently came together to create the sound that is filling local clubs, bringing in decent crowds and getting them on bigger stages. As with a lot of artists, all involved have families and day jobs so as with a lot of artists, it's tough to get together to rehearse. Jamming on their own to get their parts down is one thing, but putting it all together to become a tight group is hit and miss. Some weeks they may get three times, but the following week, it may not happen.
The guys made a splash with their first show last September. Though they are Spruce Grove based, the show happened in their adopted namesake town of Stony Plain. Local club, Moonshiners, is the most vibrant and supportive venue in the area for live music and owner Dave Goetz was more than happen to host the guys as they head out to fill their dreams and create a brand for themselves. For the band it's a tough go. We all know that the music business is full of bands and artists looking to be the next big thing. Some aspirations are greater than others, but whether you are a fan of the band, their music or not... why not grab a t-shirt. Sure it's band branded, but unlike most bands, especially newcomers to the scene, RockEFlatt has a treasure trove of merchandise from hats to tees to hoodies and more, all branded with the logo and the name. No matter if you are a proud, transplanted east coaster or from the town that gave rise to the name, Whelan is as happy getting you into their apparel, as much as he his playing you his music. They have a store on their Facebook page, be sure to check it out.
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