OCTOPUS

When first drawing from the inspirational well in 2005, members of Norfolk, VA's rock/jam band staple "Octopus" knew they were bringing something sweet to their lips. Their obvious range of influences from the Allman Brothers to Zappa aside, Octopus' unique blend of rock and roll survived a changing lineup that helped hone and solidify the quartet's sound. What remains are guitarist Kyle Hills' hard-rocking leads laying over the wailing tones of Alfred Evans' vintage Hammond B3 organ, their grooves are held down by the brothers (by blood and rhythm) Bruce Henning on bass and with Chris Henning delivering jazzy performances on the drum kit. Always an ever-energetic ride, Octopus has been packing local venues for half a decade, some with marathon performances of their poignant songwriting and improvisation, always brought in a genuinely fun and exciting atmosphere. This isn't your garden-variety Octopus!