The Daily Gamecock

Whiskey Diablo to play Tin Roof

	<p>The part country, part rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll band will play at the Tin Roof on Nov. 9 at 10 p.m.</p>
The part country, part rock ‘n’ roll band will play at the Tin Roof on Nov. 9 at 10 p.m.

Charleston-based band to perform Nov. 9.

Charleston band Whiskey Diablo is a whole lot more than just a little bit of country and a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll. They’re a little bit of jazz, punk and blues, too.

“We didn’t set out to be any one genre,” singer and guitarist Patrick Blake said.

The mixed-genre band, which will be playing at the Tin Roof Nov. 9, formed in 2011 after Blake’s original band faded. Drummer Brian Widlowski, bassist Jonathan Grey and pianist and organist Whitt Algar joined the raspy-voiced frontman in Charleston to create the band, which has toured much of the Southeast.

Whiskey Diablo has already formed a strong following in South Carolina and Blake said their biggest accomplishment is just getting the band off the ground.

“It’s nice to make it work and do this full time,” Blake said. The singer has previously done everything from truck driving to working in a law office to selling tea and coffee.

Blake has now replaced an array of odd jobs with performing constantly and writing music to perfect their unique sound.

“In the past I’ve primarily written, but recently we’ve all contributed,” he said. “It’s more fun that way, with more people, and it gives us room to expand.”

The band’s audiences range from 20-year-old rockers to middle-aged country fans and include everyone in between.

“We’re playing a 65-year-old’s birthday soon,” Blake said. “I guess you’re never too old to rock.”

As a band who likes to keep it interesting and its performances fresh, they listen to a wide array of music for inspiration. Blake and the band currently have been listening to the contrasting artists Wayne Hancock, Motorhead and most surprisingly, Yo-Yo Ma.

“Listening to the same music all the time is kind of like eating the same kind of cereal every day,” Blake said. “It gets stale.”

After their performances this weekend in Charlotte, Columbia and Charleston, Whiskey Diablo will continue to plan its upcoming tour, which will be in areas like Florida, Georgia and Alabama. The tour will lead up to their next album, which will include only a handful of songs from the nearly 40 they will have written.

Until then, audiences can enjoy the music from their debut album,

“Wail and Serenade,” as well as attend their numerous shows.

“Everyone should bring their dancing shoes, drink up and have fun,” Blake said about Saturday’s Columbia performance.


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