JAMIE McLEAN BAND / FRANK VIELE – SMALL BATCH CELLARS

By Ralph Beauchamp

My wife, Jenn, and I finally took our first plunge at a show at the fantastic winery in North Haven, Small Batch Cellars and it turned into a phenomenal night out on the town. The bill included the three piece Jamie McLean Band and our favorite son, Frank Viele.

A few words about the Small Batch Cellars. We were both impressed with the winery and music venue. First of all, the ambiance is perfect. The setting is dark and romantic with an ample amount of comfortable seating. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. The stage is decently large and only a step up from the dance floor making for a perfect artist/audience connection.

Jenn and I thought the sound was superb and the whole feel of SBC had a massive cool vibe. The wine (Rift), which was recommended by another attendee, was excellent. An added plus was the fact that you could bring in your own food (except on Sundays when they have a brunch musical showcase called Vine and Vibes). Small Batch Cellars is a must visit. The space is a gem.

Opening up the evening was Frank Viele who is a huge favorite of the AMP staff. Not only is he an incredible singer/songwriter with major accolades, he’s also a mover and shaker in the Northeast music community. He is a founder of Bigger Beast Records and All Boats Rise Entertainment which is pushing the Northeast dynamic singer/songwriter scene into the limelight. Viele is a true visionary.

Besides being an talented entertainer, Viele brings a certain charisma to his live performances. His songs all tell vivid stories and his approach on stage is impeccable. His in-between songs banter is both interesting and heartfelt. With a few sincere words, he makes every song come alive in the hearts of his listeners. This evening he opened with “Hearts We Left Behind” which is one of my personal favorites. From there he went into “Monsters In The Hall” and a rousing rendition of “Trainwreck”. After “The River”, Viele let loose a torrent of fiery emotion with “The Trouble With Desire”.

The ever impassioned “Trying To Raise A Man” led into the Bob Seger cover, “Against The Wind”. Before the song, Viele recounted a story of a day of multiple plane delays and playing this song in the airport just to pass the time. It received a massive amount of YouTube views. Frank closed out with a tenacious “Putting Out Fires”. Frank will be on a new cross country headlining tour and I recommend you definitely catch him. He will make your night.

Next up was the Jamie McLean Band. The group is a three piece that hails from the New York area. The Jamie McLean Band delivers a crushing blend of ferocious blues and hard hitting R&R. The band consists of Jamie Mclean (Vocals/Guitar), Chris Anderson (Bass) and Kenny Shaw (Drums). As soon as they hit the stage, the audience was enthralled. The first two songs were barnburners that set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Both “Open Up” and “Box of Memories” were from their 2011 release Sunday Morning. The audience was mesmerized from the very start. McLean‘s guitar quivered with vitality while Anderson’s bass laid down a monstrous groove. Shaw’s drums were full of divine tension. The band came out like a smoking six gun. By the second song, my wife was already on her feet and dancing. “Yesterday’s Champagne” and “Virginia” followed. Both are off 2018’s One and Only. McLean‘s vocals were crisp and brazenly cinematic. He kept everyone’s attention with his profound guitar play. He also had an easy stage banter that forged a tight bond with the crowd.

2022’s Paradise Found gave us the next tune. “Ghost of You” had an easy gait and smooth rock & roll feel. By this time, my wife was joined by a multitude of people on the dance floor. Everyone was having a wonderful time, The Prince cover “Let’s Go Crazy” had the club swinging. Mclean‘s version has a bluesy edge and it was definitely a fan favorite. All the while, Anderson and Shaw had the backbeat hammering.

The Jamie McLean Band’s latest album is One Step Forward (2024) and it was well represented at the end of the set. “Too Little Too Late” rolled into “Summer of Who Knows When”, “Feeling Good” and “I Believe In Love”. The audience was really feeling the sonic tornado the band was letting loose. Feet were tapping and heads were bobbing to the band’s impressive sound. The group closed out with a hot medley which included Stephen Still’s, “Love the One You’re With”. I could have swore my wife was having a religious awakening as I could see the music was truly catching her soul.

This was an uplifting night of addictive music. As always, Frank Viele surrenders an amazing set of vibrant songs while the Jamie McLean Band constructed a performance that left the house totally satisfied. In addition, finding such a fresh and spirited new venue so close to home is mind-blowing. You should definitely catch a show at Small Batch Cellars because it can be a mystical event.