Courtesy Photo
Vintage Pistol is (from left to right) Garrett August, Tanner Poole, Taylor Smith, Dylan Cruz and Stan Watson.
As it’s been for the past month, it was raining this past Sunday afternoon as Vintage Pistol formed up and put on their rock n’ roll shoes. Inside bassist Stan Watson’s nearly-on-campus house, the five-piece began to play and entered into a trance-like, improvised minor-key jam.
Vintage Pistol plays rock n’ roll. But that’s putting it too simply. As with any band with diverse players, their music sort of eludes specific genres. With musical influences spanning from Ryan Adams to Zakk Wylde, Pink Floyd and The Doors, the band shows shades of their backgrounds at different moments in their sets.
The group has grown to play tight, and can keep a jam going strong while finding a way for each band member to stand out in their roles.
Dylan Cruz (lead guitar), can shred until the gates of hard rock’s hell open, and as his fingers blur, he appears to be meditating. Watson frets all over his six string bass like a lead guitar player with stoic ease. Garrett August (keys, harmonica, vocals) keeps a steady right hand and plays the harmonica hard, and Taylor Smith (vocals, guitar) sings and plays with a carefree, mellow attitude. While Tanner Poole, Vintage Pistol’s original drummer is leaving the band to focus on his job, the new drummer, Bailey Annen, fit right in with casual confidence.
A year ago, Vintage Pistol didn’t exist. Five months ago, Vintage Pistol faced off against five other local northwest Arkansas bands, and won the Wakarusa Winter Classic. Now, these dudes are looking at performing a full set next week at Arkansas’ biggest music festival.
Courtesy of Jeremy Scott Photography
Stan Watson (left) and Garrett August (right) jam strong at the Wakarus Winter Classic, where they eneded up winning the competition and a set at the music festival.
~
The night of the Waka Winter Classic at George’s Majestic Lounge in January started with The Galaxy Tour Guides, with Vintage Pistol expected to follow — as fast as possible. The sound engineer that night wasn’t messing around. He told the band if they didn’t set up, soundcheck and take down within their allotted time, their set would be cut short. Along with the low attendance crowd, this only added to the anxiety.
“I was so nervous for that show,” Smith said. “Like the nervousness you get where you have gag reflexes.”
After setting up at lightning fast speeds, they started on time and were able to play a full set. They played through an all original set of rock n’ roll with some open ended jams, and fortunately, their set time matched up with the incoming Dickson crowd. With only 20 or so of their network there, the band played to a mostly unfamiliar full house.
By the time the band thundered through their final song “Kids These Days,” they had seemingly won over the crowd, August said.
“I’m not going to lie, I went in thinking we’re not going to win (the Waka Winter Classic),” Cruz said. “I had my money on the Irie Lions. But when we finished our last song we got this bellow of ovation and screaming with everybody chanting ‘Waka.’ At that point, we started to feel like we may have a chance.”
With such a warm reception early on, the band started to gain confidence. The winner wasn’t announced until the end of the night at 2 a.m. and the winner was decided by popular vote. By that time, the whole band — except for Cruz — had gotten drunk anticipating the announcement.
When the emcee that night began saying “Vin-” the band was in denial, thinking it must be another band until they heard “-tage Pistol!” Immediately, Cruz ran over to hug August and celebrate with the rest of the band and soon after, the Wakarusa representative needed someone to fill out a W9 form. Cruz, the only sober one, was tasked to fill it out.
Courtesy of Jeremy Scott Photography
Dylan Cruz (left) shreds on guitar as Taylor Smith (right) sings along.
The Making of Vintage Pistol
The idea for a band started out with August and Smith at the last night of The Stolen Glass where August had an acoustic set and tried out an early version of a Vintage Pistol song, “By My Side.” The two had both been in bands before, and in August 2014 Smith invited old band mate Cruz to come jam with them and their friend Tanner Poole on drums.
“Of course, as soon as Dylan started playing with us we were like you’re in,” August said. “Dylan didn’t even know the song and he just kept shredding. Taylor and I both kind looked up and were like ‘Yeah, this guy’s in.’”
Their first show only had four people in the band, but they caught the attention of Watson, who was in the crowd. He offered to be their bass player, and after one practice with the band he had secured his role in the Pistol. As for the name, it wasn’t certain at first.
“(Our band name) was either going to be the Wooden Nickels or Vintage Pistol,” said August, laughing. “I was in favor of The Sneaky Petes, but it didn’t stick. We went with Vintage Pistol.”
Dylan and Watson’s classic rock influences quickly turned the band’s ballads into full on rock songs, Smith said. With such instant chemistry, the band stuck together and went on to record an EP, which can be heard online at their Reverbnation page. The band plans on recording and releasing a full length album before the end of the year.
Waka Bound
If you’re headed to the mountain next week, Vintage Pistol will be playing a full hour and 15 minute set at the Backwoods Stage Thursday from 10:45 p.m. to midnight. They’re the only other band playing besides fan favorites Umphrey’s McGee, who are also playing Friday at the revival tent.
