Show Zero: Out of the Blue

Archive pictures of Show Zero, 12 or 13 years ago, where it all began.

Photos from the archives-
After recently digging out some old photos of one of my all-time favorite bands- ‘Out of the Blue’- I realized that they were my entry into the local music scene, and I first caught music photography fever at one of their shows.

The Show-
I think it was the spring of ‘93. I was traveling back to my undergrad alma mater, Penn State, to see some friends and a music show. OOTB was playing, as well as ‘New Pseudo’, another original band I followed while at Penn State. They were joined by Bet Williams (who I first saw as part of a band called ‘Ticapoo Brain’, or something close to that), who still plays the occasional gig in the Philly area.

I took along my new camera, a Chinon Genesis IV, to take some photos. During the show someone in the band (Frank? Dawn?) waved me onto the side of the stage to get closer shots. Later that year I shared the pictures with Frank and the band at an after-show party (one of my friends was dating their guitarist), and I received a lot of good feedback.

Since the web was not around, nothing else became of the pictures…

The Fever-
..until I recently received a random email from a fellow fan (thanks, Chris, for launching me on this journey!). He followed them while attending school in Pittsburgh, and has been looking to replace his CD that was destroyed over 7 years ago. I didn’t find the mail strange at all , recognizing the fever…

OOTB was an incredible band- they wouldn’t just grab your attention, they would hijack. They not only played forbidden covers, but improved them. I was hooked after first hearing their tight guitar work in The Allman Brothers’ ‘In Memory of Elizabeth Reed’ and Dawn’s powerfully mesmerizing vocals in Pink Floyd’s ‘Great Gig in the Sky’. Their originals were just as solid, and I soon became a lifetime fan of quality original music.

I followed their shows around PSU, and then in Philly after moving here for grad school. The Philly shows and road trips to State College helped form a friendship with a fellow fan, Greg Ralls (local singer/songwriter/pianist), who still remains one of my most valued friends.

After wearing out the cassette demo tape from their early shows, I was thrilled when they released their only CD: the self-titled Out of the Blue. It has been in my regular play rotation ever since. I still get goose bumps when listening to ‘The Stand’, remembering the VFW halloween show they did in quad sound. And when Rusted Root’s ‘Ecstasy’ comes on, I recall the audience drum circles they used to do between sets when the two bands played together.

Where Are They Now?
They won Pittsburgh’s Graffiti Rock Challenge in ‘93, but went their separate ways after graduation. I don’t know what happened to all of them, and would love to hear from or about them. Here’s what I do know:

Frank- is performing solo around Pittsburgh, and was in Crisis Car with Mike (I have both of their CDs)
Mike- was a member of Rusted Root, and currently runs the Pittsburgh mega-venue Mr. Small’s Funhouse with fellow Rusted Root alum and wife Liz Berlin.
Shellie- (now Michelle Grim) is currently in “The New Fiction”, a semifinalist in the 2005 Graffiti Rock Challenge (and I will soon have their CD).

I’d love to hear from or about the other projects and roads taken by the rest of the band. Feel free to email me (Roger@LucidMusic.com).

It’s not surprising that this group, their album and performances I attended has lasted as my favorite music experience for over a decade. The time I spent following them launched my love for original music, for concert photography, and some lasting friendships to boot.

I’m still holding onto hope for a reunion show someday…