The Southern Belles

The Southern Belles are a really difficult band to label in any traditional manner. Just when you think you’ve got them down as, say, a jazz fusion group, a hedonistic bluegrass riot or hook laden blues rock verse follows. Their free thinking is the centerpiece of a four-man explosion of progressive bliss on their first studio release, Sharp As A Knife.

The eight tracks ebb and flow from jams to punchy riffwork, soloing to huge builds and choruses, and overall it reminds me of the most recent Tedeschi Trucks album and other guitar-heavy folk/bluegrass/blues in terms of tone.

Have no doubt, though, Sharp as a Knife shreds, featuring some of the best genre-less, progressive songwriting to slip through the cracks of local bars and venues recently, setting the album apart from most every other influence present in their expansively creative tone and style library.

Their sound is timeless, and if you dig Santana, The Allman Brothers, other guitar gods or simply groovy tunes to dance to at the bar, these guys are for you. Their recent performances on Halloween and during early November build up to their One Year Anniversary Show Wednesday, Nov. 28th at Cary St Cafe. It promises to be a great time to say the least!

In the same vein as Fight Cloud, this album sounds good. Props to Richmond’s Sound of Music Studios and Bryan Walthall & John Morand. Always great to see local groups and studios collaborating to create a wonderfully creative and fantastically listenable release! - The Horn RVA

The standard phrase you hear about tight bands is they can “turn on a dime.”


the album.
The Southern Belles are a prog rock band from Richmond who can turn on a gluon. Their debut album, Sharp as a Knife, demonstrates this and much much more.

“All Night” begins with an uncanny version of the Grateful Dead’s 1977 sound, but like most Belles tunes it changes quickly and by the time the song is over you’ve been to six impossible places. Even more impressive are the eight (nine? ten?) sections of “Cadillac Desert,” a song that is literally all over the place.

Here as elsewhere the influence of Trey Anastasio and his mentor Ernie Stires is clear. But neither Anastasio nor Jerry Garcia ever got as dirty as Adrian Ciucci’s guitar work on “Roshambeaux.” Some of the bends are so nasty they might well cause Chet Atkins to sit up in his grave and scream “hallelujah!”

To be fair this is a very young band, and they have some kinks–mainly in the vocal department–to work on. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from checking them out at Doc Taylor’s on Thursday, December 6 at 8:00. Anyone who likes Ween should definitely head down for some yucks and a Bloody Mary. Anyone looking for the meeting place of technical precision and rapscallion revelry should take a cab and show up early. Anyone fond of of songs that combine Frank Zappa and The Allman Brothers–the Mothers and the Brothers–should sew up their zoot suit and stumble over.

I understand many folks reading this may not like jam bands. I’m with you, brothers and sisters, but every genre of music has its worthwhile entities. Many write off rap music, but you can’t deny the talent of guys like Nas. Many dismiss so-called alternative rock, but Pavement invented alternative rock. So maybe you cringe every time Phish comes to town? That shouldn’t stop you from checking out these guys just because they share some qualities. The main quality that comes through Sharp as a Knife is vigor, and everyone likes a little vigor in their coffee. - AltDaily.com

Each year, RVA Magazine's online music review, Sounds of RVA, releases their opinion on the best LP's and EP's out of Richmond. There is a number of criteria each band must meet in order to be considered. Out of 50 bands that were selected for 2012, The Southern Belles received the #1 best LP of the year. An impressive feat for any band that has only been together one year. - RVA Magazine

"...The Southern Belles are getting ready to release their new album, Sharp as a Knife, and the band has made a couple tracks available for teaser purposes. "Cadillac Desert" will funk you up right, and "Shotgun" is a tasty treat of a tale with Two Man Gentleman Band tendencies..."

By Sarah Moore Lindsey (soundsofrva.com) - RVA Magazine

The Pit Boardrider’s Grill in Kill Devil Hills hosts a triple bill of live music this weekend, headlined by the Outer Banks debut of The Southern Belles, from Richmond, VA.

According to Pit owner Ben Sproul, “These guys kill it, and are going places. Say you saw them on the way up! The Belles offer eclectic-sounding originals with energetic renditions of tunes that you know and love. Young and old, people are talking about these bearded crazies.”

The band describes their music as “boogified crunchy-tonk”, offering “a unique perspective on Rock n’ Roll; fusing honkey-tonk grit with smooth musicianship.” - Outer Banks Entertainment

The Pit Boardrider’s Grill in Kill Devil Hills hosts a triple bill of live music this weekend, headlined by the Outer Banks debut of The Southern Belles, from Richmond, VA.

According to Pit owner Ben Sproul, “These guys kill it, and are going places. Say you saw them on the way up! The Belles offer eclectic-sounding originals with energetic renditions of tunes that you know and love. Young and old, people are talking about these bearded crazies.”

The band describes their music as “boogified crunchy-tonk”, offering “a unique perspective on Rock n’ Roll; fusing honkey-tonk grit with smooth musicianship.” - Outer Banks Entertainment

The Southern Belles creates a perfect union of originals and covers, vocal-driven tunes and instrumental jamming, restraint and freedom, fun and professionalism. Their ability to instinctively communicate with one another was apparent right from the start, but as they’ve continued to play together this cultured ability has grown exponentially. - Folly Beach Fix

Show of the week: The Southern Belles CD Release Party with special guests The Shack Band on Saturday at The Camel, 1621 W. Broad St.

The Southern Belles play a Frank Zappa-esque amalgamation of country, jazz, rock and funk. With an emphasis on song craft and technical proficiency, the instantly ingratiating manner by which this Richmond quartet presents its genre-bending concoctions is embedded with a vitality and vigor that Beethoven would have surely approved.

And if the two teaser tracks the group has released (the good-natured, vintage country jollity of "Shotgun" and the funky jazz rock of "Cadillac Desert") on its Bandcamp site (http://thesouthernbelles.bandcamp.com) are any indication of what the rest of its debut, "Sharp as a Knife," has in store, The Southern Belles should be headed for the big time...]

Chris Bopst, a former member of GWAR, books shows for restaurant and musical venue Balliceaux. He has a music podcast posted every Monday on rvanews.com. - The Richmond Times-Dispatch

Fresh off the release of their fantastic new album and an extensive tour, Richmond based band The Southern Belles are really starting to make some noise up and down the east coast. Being a relatively new band that was formed in 2011, the band’s high energy and chemistry that is displayed on stage would lead you to believe these guys have been playing together a lot longer. Their monthly residencies at The Camel in Richmond have helped create an extremely loyal core fan base; relentless touring and dedication to their craft have created a buzz that people are really starting to take notice of. Not to mention that their two albums are overflowing with really great original material. Playing a unique blend of funk and southern psychedelic rock, the band’s sound makes it impossible to sit still while listening to their music. When asked about the band’s growth over the past four years, Adrian said “Watching us grow as a group and individually over the years has been a pleasure. This band is made up of very old friends, elementary school old. We were kids when we started playing together and have always pushed each other to be better. This feels very grown up.”


The quartet is comprised by guitarist Adrian Ciucci, keys player Tommy Booker, Raphael Katchinoff on drums, and Andrew Carper on bass. Each one bringing extremely strong chops to the mix, they are more than capable of creating on the spot magic through their live improvisation. When asked about how they approach their songwriting and playing live, Adrian said “We take great pleasure and effort in the songwriting process. In that process we always intend to leave room for the song to develop and leave space for us to be able to improvise as a group and individually. There are so many aspects to what we do. When we are in the studio we are all about efficiency and try to never leave excessive content that is better portrayed live. Live music is theater, entertainment and now and days a band in our circuit has to be able to provide a well-executed, high-energy performance…… Show something human, try to achieve something super human. Play something familiar, surprise them.”

It’s safe to say that anyone who is seeing them for the first time will be extremely surprised, and the band is sure to hit at least a few superhuman moments at every show. This keeps people coming back to see them play, and it’s a good recipe for success. Live shows and touring are how bands make a living these days, and the bands that have great material and put on good shows will reap the rewards.


The Southern Belles are already starting to see the benefits of their hard work, receiving an afternoon spot at this past weekend’s Lockn Festival in Virginia. They took full advantage of this opportunity and played a beautiful set that delighted their huge audience. Adrian had this to say when asked about the opportunity, “We have played a huge variety of shows over the years, some to terrifyingly huge crowds. Even so, Lockn feels like the biggest opportunity we have been presented with. It is rare when you can see that the universe has given you exactly what you asked it for in a given moment.”

The universe is sure to have much more in store for the Belles. When asked about the band’s goals for the future Adrian answered, “I am a planner and a dreamer. My aspirations for this band goes all the way until the end. Part of coping with this business is having the ability to constantly re evaluate what reasonable expectations of yourself are within a certain time frame. We are lifers so time is on our side. Much more to come.”

Keep your ears and eyes on these guys from Richmond, they are a very special band. - Live Music Daily