Saturday night, a free show at Casa Nueva will be the destination of choice for fans of old-style rock ‘n’ roll and folk music.
Columbus natives Joshua P. James and the Paper Planes — as well as two Athens acts, the Corbin Marsh Band and Left Hand Shake — will perform their brands of Americana for what is sure to be an entertaining show.
Joshua P. James and the Paper Planes, comprised of James (guitars, vocals and lead songwriter), Evan Harrison Parker (upright bass), and Brandon Woods (percussion), are playing in support of their album Please, Please, released this past April. James said the album is a showcase of his modern take on music he was inspired by, including artists such as Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton and Chuck Berry.
The Paper Planes’ music ranges from stompers that rely on the tight rhythm section of Parker and Woods to drive songs from start to finish — such as on the album opener “Haunt Your House” — to more down-tempo, traditional folk songs that rely on James’ gruff drawl.
This variety will be reflected in the show itself, James said.
“There is a little bit of something for everyone who likes to watch shows,” he said. “We play a high-energy set because that is what we like to watch.”
The Corbin Marsh Band’s performance will bring a more blues-oriented sound to the show. The band will play material off its new EP, Wheel Spinning Round, as well as some older songs.
Marsh said that he is excited to bring his songs about “women and whiskey” to Casa so he will have “a chance to try to connect with people and show them a good time.”
Left Hand Shake is a new project by Zach Oden, a regular of the Athens music scene. After taking some time off from playing, he decided he wanted to try out what he called a kind of “improvised Americana.” He described the new band as being influenced by the “rawness of The Replacements with some Gram Parsons.”
“I kind of want the energy of a practice space, where you hit that cathartic moment with the audience,” Oden said.
James agreed with Oden, adding that the crowd on Saturday should be prepared to interact with the bands onstage.
“We’re all about the energy of the live show,” he said. “We’re all about getting involved, so be ready for that if you come to our show.”
ds834910@ohiou.edu
