Photos and Review by Chandler Mays
Zach Deputy’s solo-acoustic set at Eddie’s Attic was the perfect way to start my Friday evening. The show was intimate, reverent, and strangely hilarious. Instead of live entertainment at a venue, it seemed more like Zach was a close friend who whipped out his guitar for an impromptu performance in my living room after a dinner party. That’s probably because I enjoyed the set over a glass of wine and delicious Jack Daniel’s Baked Brie with brown sugar pecans and crostini.
The musical stylings of Zach Deputy’s live shows range from funk and reggae to tropical world music. In his one-man-band shows, he creates the sound of a four-piece band using looping pedals and beat boxing. If you catch him with a full band, you’re in for an experience somewhere between Dave Matthews Band on the beach and James Brown at The Apollo. However, his solo acoustic set allowed the audience to appreciate and indulge in his beautiful, soulful voice. While having it’s own unique sound, his voice conjures a connection to past greats, like Bob Marley and Ray Charles, as well as modern crooners, like Amos Lee, Ray LaMontagne, and Citizen Cope. It immediately inspires with a gospel sound while simultaneously transporting you to a caribbean island with white sands and crystal blue beaches.
Recently, Zach has been taking a break from touring to spend time with his family, and since he resides in Georgia, he was more than happy to hop on over to Eddie’s Attic for an impromptu performance, and it was indeed a pleasurable experience. Much of his lyrics were deep and emotionally insightful, while other lyrics were as silly as Adam Sandler in his heyday. During a song about Jimmy John’s sandwiches, Deputy crooned, “I feel a rumble in my tummy sac. What is that? I’m hungry.” My favorite moment was when he covered “Georgia” by Ray Charles that included a funky beat-box breakdown that gave you no choice but to nod your head with. In between songs, Zach would amuse us with stories from his life, including getting his equipment stolen, and dealing with a poop-explosion from a backed up septic tank in his “Nightmare Motor Home”. Accordingly, it only seemed fitting that he decided to name his show “Morals and Dog Poo”.
Thank you, Zack Deputy, for the wonderfully intimate experience.
Full Gallery after the jump…
