Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown played a solid set returning from the road to a Nashville hometown two hundred plus crowd at Exit/In on Rock Block last Friday night.
Although Tyler Bryant was spotted early on by Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck a few years ago, this band has really solidified as a unit out on the road.
The dual guitar work of Tyler Bryant and Graham Whitford builds instead of clashes with roots in blues rock, but, coming from two different angles.
Graham definitely has some solid tone and fingerboard finesse like his father, Brad Whitford, but, he proved himself worthy when he was in the top 5 of a national Guitar Center competition out of 4000 entries at the age of 17. Graham’s tone was impeccable through a custom shop 18 Watt Marshall as well as a brown tolex Mr. Fender favoring the Les Paul Burst. Graham’s playing even had a little Paul Kossoff vibrato bends going on as well.
Tyler, on the other hand, had a pink Strat, Les Paul Juniors as well as some other toys like some clean Metal Resonator with a pick-up with some serious finger picking going on going through a pair of vintage reissue Fender Deluxe Twin tweeds.
One local who has seen the band several times said he could tell that they were slowing things down a bit and creating more dynamics and groove.
As a band, they just keep improving.
Graham Whitford at Exit/In, April 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty
There is nothing that can replace time on the road the way it has always been done.
A band is really a sense of community and while Tyler is a quintessential front man with Steve Marriott looks with a voice somewhere between Eric Martin and John Waite, he was always quick to shine the spotlight on his other band members, drummer and Belmont University neighborhood musician, Caleb Crosby, bassist Noah Denney who also has Belmont University experience, but, most especially was quick to share the spotlight with co-gunslinger Graham Whitford.
You can tell these guys have the chops, the girls and are having fun the way Elvis and The Beatles started out.
If one wanted to compare them to Aerosmith you would have to really stretch.They would be a closer comparison to Humble Pie during the Frampton years with a Johnny Winter heart.
Tyler and Graham both show a penchant for Texas and boogie blues as well as Classic Rock.
The crowd was quite diverse both in age and male/female split since anybody in their right mind could connect to solid guitar playing and a good night out.
They may not be The original Yardbirds, but, in the same vein that Phil Lynott said he wanted Thin Lizzy to be a modern Yardbirds known for strong guitar players, this is the real deal. If they can hold it together for a couple of years, this will be the guitar tag team to be reckoned with.
Electric Blues infused up to date rock is just what the doctor ordered and in the words of Steve Marriott, “I Don’t Need No Doctor.”
– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com
all photos (c) Brad Hardisty
The Nashville Bridge 
love not only the review and awesome pictures…but also your diversity and technical side of your review. you captured there vibe !