Selections from artists like Blink 182, Van Halen, Green Day, Neon Trees, The Killers and Guns ‘n Roses often populate a Wolfy Grin show, to name just a few. The band’s setup typically includes two guitars rather than any keys, effects or other supporting instrumentation, so some of those covers end up being performed in a harder guitar rock style, such as their chunky, embellished version of Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf.” (Shoutout to my cousin Tiffany for filming this one for the writeup!)
The band’s live energy and showmanship paired with their instrumental skill caught the attention of venues and audiences early on. The band members had initially come together from other projects to form Wolfy Grin as another fun way to keep them playing a bit more often, and they set out to pick up a couple extra gigs a month. It didn’t exactly work out that way, however, as each show they played quickly led to more and more offers, and they have spent the last year or more playing just as much as their schedules can handle across the southern Alabama and Mississippi counties.
According to Jake, the band’s live magic all ties back to the chemistry between the members. It’s his favorite aspect of the band. Beau Blalock is the guy pounding on the drums, and he and Jake found that they clicked musically right off the bat. “Beau has been a solid drummer from the day I met him… Nothing fazes him and it’s one of the nicest things,” he said. “Andy does a wonderful job as a frontman. He’s carrying a lot of load,” he said of Andy Jones, who was already a talented guitarist before stepping up to the lead vocal mic, allowing him to pull double duty at the front of Wolfy Grin. Christopher Hodge found it was his time to make a return to the stage from a musical hiatus with this project, and provides the low end for the “wolf pack.” “He’s just exploded on stage. Chris has the best attitude and really works hard to do what he’s doing, I’m super proud of him,” Jake continued. Andrew Wood, a longtime collaborator of Jake’s, also spent some time rocking the bass guitar as the band was first breaking out.
