Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/543152
46 Jay Psaros Greetings once again music lovers! Welcome to the fifth installment of "The Beat," covering music in and around Boston's best shore, the South Shore! For readers of this article I'm sure you have become well aware of my affinity for the music scene here on the South Shore. As a working musician, I am proud to call this part of New England my home. I've worked, toured and lived extensively throughout New England and over the past decade have been able to experience some of the finest music destinations in the region. Nothing, however, is quite like the South Shore: a hotbed for local, regional and even national talent. My favorite part about it is that as a whole, the music scene on the South Shore is humble, kind, diligent and dedicated. We are not boastful with our words, rather pro-active with our actions. The result is a music community which can hold its own with the best of the best. Some of our local talent is walking proof of this. I'd like to start with my good friends The Aldous Collins Band. Aldous and his boys were featured in the first installment of "The Beat" a little over a year ago, and their growth since then is a testament to their hard work, dedication and above all, sense of community. I've known Aldous for several years now, and over the past couple of years, something happened. I remember having a conversation with Aldous a couple years back. I was commenting on how much enjoyment I got with his on-stage antics. For those of you who know Aldous personally, you are well aware that the conversation always involves a lot of laughs and many smiles. In reply to my commentary about his on-stage antics Aldous replied "Jay, I'm forty years old and I just don't give a damn!" The truth is, Aldous does give a damn. He gives a damn about being true to himself, his craft, what his life means and the notion that life is too short to not do what you love. Aldous doesn't give a damn about anything that stands in his way, and the growth of his band and presence in the regional music scene is proof of that. Aldous's brand of funky, roots, rock/reggae is energetic, cheerful, positive, sometimes silly and downright beautiful. Over the course of two and a half years he has grown his four piece outfit into a thriving musical experience often times featuring 8 musicians on stage. It is no wonder that this past year he was awarded "Live Act of the Year" by the New England Music Awards, his second year being recognized by the New England music institution. What many don't know about the Aldous Collins Band are the unsung heroes in his band, which Aldous will be the first to admit are a huge reason for the bands recent success. Michael Rahman, a good personal friend of mine for several years is soft spoken, un-assuming and yet a driving force behind the Aldous Collins community. In the several times that I've worked with the band, Mike is the first to rally the troops and get all of the working parties involved with a strategy that will benefit everyone. He spends countless hours promoting, inviting, and making people aware of the bands happenings. Mike is perhaps the ultimate side guy. Selfless, supportive, without an ego and completely committed. Another huge part of the bands success is Steve Smith. Steve Smith is half of the Grammy winning electronic group Dirty Vegas. His attention to detail, industry expertise and unapologetic eye for quality has helped guide Aldous and the gang down a path that pays equal attention to craft as well as business-savy. Working with Steve is an interesting experience. It seems as though in his eyes, there is always something to be tweaked, to be altered, to be experimented with and ultimately improved upon. During one of my many conversations with Steve about the Aldous Collins Band, Steve had a vision for the band and wasn't scared to share his thoughts on how to achieve this vision for the benefit of the whole. A great songwriter, musician and performer himself (with more accolades than you could shake a stick at), Steve continues to approach music with wide eyed enthusiasm and a genuine sense of interest. Catch Aldous and the gang every Wednesday