Features Article

Midranger bridges two types of music

Joni Hoke, Night Out

When you go to see the band Midranger, you’ll find a business card on your table which says you’re about to see the “hottest country/rock band under the sun.”

Like Johnny Socko from last week’s column, Midranger is somewhat of a dinosaur in this town, having been around in some form for the better part of 10 years, led by rhythm guitarist/vocalist Mike Myers.

Midranger is named, said lead guitarist/vocalist John Adcock, for its ability to “range between country and rock ’n’ roll.”

For five years, Myers has played with bassist/vocalist Mike Knowles.

Are you noticing a lot of vocalists in this band? They need them for the two- and three-part harmonies they sing on such songs as Jackson Browne’s “Stay,” which segues nicely into “Dream” by the Everly Brothers.

The musical segue is a specialty of the band, which also segued a Pink Floyd medley into “Black Magic Woman.”

Whether it’s country or rock the band is doing, Fender is the sound, with amps and guitars that “you don’t hear any more, but you’ll remember,” says Adcock, who honed his guitar skills playing at clubs along the Gulf Coast in the ’80s.

The youngest member of the band is drummer James Greenwell, who is in his 20s. He has been with Mid-ranger for two years.

“We grew him in a test tube,” said Adcock. “We knew we were going to need a good drummer eventually, so we just genetically engineered him.”

Midranger moves easily between country and rock with such songs as Trace Adkins’ “This Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing” or “Gettin’ Down on the Farm” to “Yesterday” or Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine.”

“You can be like Richard Pryor; catch your a** on fire ... cocaine,” Adcock ad-libbed.

They also have four originals they plan to record this summer with some studio time they won at the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair last year. The band plans to play the fair again this year, and used to be the house band at the 718 Lounge, which Adcock and his wife owned at the time.

The night I saw Midranger, at Karen’s Stucco House, was a rather slow Friday, but the weekend cranked up the following night, Adcock said, during the ABATE Foundation (Posey County) Region 8 Spring Fling; Midranger entertained bikers who came to camp out behind the Stucco House.

Some of the bikers brought their guitars for a jam session, and there was a chili cookout.

For Midranger show dates, visit www.midranger.com on the Internet.

For bookings, call (812)474-1120.

  Article BY: Joni Hoke