FEATURES

   Drivin' Blind is an all-acoustic act is capable of holding its own against the hard rock bands which dominate the local South Side/N.W. Indiana music scene.

   They push their way onto the stages of area clubs and leave behind pleasantly surprised patrons and club owners willing to hire them back.

   "When they hear you are an acoustic act, most club owners are reluctant to even consider giving you a gig," says guitarist/vocalist Matt Valuckis. "That's why we usually to go to a club's open mic or jam night and show them what Drivin' Blind is all about before we even try to get a gig," adds vocalist Paul Celestin. "It's much easier to show someone what we do than to try to describe it," concludes Valuckis.

    Things began in the summer of 1998, when Valuckis and Celestin learned four songs for an open mic night at a local coffeehouse. "I was Matt's musical mistress," laughs Celestin. "He was in a band at the time and we just did the coffeehouse thing for kicks."

     Things went so well, that a return gig was offered. "We had to come up with two hours of music in three weeks," mused Celestin. "Things snowballed," said Valuckis. "We started playing every other weekend and my other band sort of faded away."

    The duo became a trio earlier this year with the permanent addition of acoustic bassist/vocalist Mike Ticich, who had previously played electric bass in Valuckis' old band, New Enriched Stuff.

   "This band is a lot more fun because it covers a lot of (musical) ground," says Ticich. "I used to just pop up with Matt and Paul from time to time and then they finally asked me to join the band. So here I am."

     If you plan to attend a Drivin' Blind show, dispel any image you may have of them being a modern day Everly Brothers.   "We're a rock band who just happens to perform acoustically," explains Valuckis. "I don't sit on a stool and strum my guitar. We have an energetic show and play a wide range of material you wouldn't expect to hear in an acoustic format."

    Drivin' Blind are not unlike the Barenaked Ladies or the Violent Femmes. "We're ALL about having fun," exclaims Celestin. "It's pretty obvious when we perform that we're having a great time up there. We try to carry that fun over to the audience."

     Drivin' Blind has five hours worth of tunes under their belt. "We add and drop songs every show," says Celestin. "That way things stay fresh for us and for people who come back to see us." "We are certainly different from anything else out in the area's clubs," adds Valuckis.

    A typical show covers a thirty year musical spectrum. Songs range from soulful dusties (Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye), to rock classics (Beatles, Stones), to humorous interpretations of modern fare (such as Ricky Martin's "Living La Vida Loca"). Original songs with titles like -"Drove By The House," "Yum," "Whirlpool Charm" and "Maybe We'll Be Someday" - also are slipped into performances.

    Drivin' Blind presently have a cassette of those four original songs available, but they plan to release a full CD worth of their own material in the coming months.