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Caleb Hawley ready to funk & grove at Milkboy Philadelphia - Concert Preview Q&A

Caleb Hawley is playing Milkboy: Philadelphia April 2nd 2014.  After years of relentless touring, open mics, and learning the business good & bad, Caleb Hawley has found his groove.  With a full band in tow, Caleb returns to his roots, ready to share his love of R&B.

To get you ready for the show, here's some Q&A with Caleb Hawley and a few tastes of what to expect!



Your career seems to be coming back around to your early influences (Ray Charles, Stevie etc).   How have the singer/songwriter circuits prepared you to come back to the full sound?

Definitely have been coming back around to some of the influences that made me fall in love with music in the first place.  Maybe it's just a phase of the cycle, but I've been back in it for a few years now. I started off solo & stripped down because I was eager to tour and it seemed to logistically make the most sense.  I think the most important thing that I got from playing the singer/songwriter circuits is confidence in performing and being on stage.

With a strong influence in R&B where traditionals are recycled ad naseum, how satisfying is it to create your own material.
Creating something always give me gratification, even if it is borrowing or in some cases paying homage to something that has already been done.  There's always a twist or variations to  make it your own.  I don't mind someone telling me "that song reminds me of that other song".  If it's a song I love, then I'm glad it does.

The full band composition:  is it a collaborative effort or are you doing all the creating?
As far as the arranging goes I'm pretty meticulous.  In pre-production I spend a lot of time creating beats and playing all the instruments.  Then typically I'll write out the parts note for note and find someone better than me to play it.  My latest EP "Side 1" was co-produced with Dan Molad of the band Lucius.  It was the first time I'd never used another producer and it worked out great because we come from very different musical backgrounds. 

There is so much rhythm and groove to your tunes.  Have you been practicing your funky moves?
Haha, I'm not sure if you're joking but actually I have!  I used to never think of the subtleties that could add to a performance, and now I feel like it's all I think of.  To me the goal has always been to entertain, and if it means I gotta bust a move like James Brown... well I can't, but I can try.


Milkboy can get a little crowded up front.  Can your band be contained?
I haven't been to the new Milkboy yet, but we would love to have it crowded up front.  It can be strange if the room is half full, but they're all standing fifteen feet from the stage.

Tell me a little bit about your band?  how'd you find them?
Just from living in New York and hanging in the scene.  I've been playing with Brian Killeen on Bass and Pat Firth on Keys for a few years now.  Dave Scalia is on drums and they're all killin musicians who always have it together.

You're given the funds for a one day Hawley Fest.. who's on the line-up? (keeping within genre) Jamie Lidell, Basement Jaxx, Charles Bradley, Shelby Lynn, Allen Stone, & of course Prince headlines.  That would be a weird bill.

Show starts at 8:00pm at MilkBoy Philly - 1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia , PA 19107
Get tickets:
CALEB HAWLEY
MAX SWAN
OVERHOLT



For another taste of Caleb Hawley, here he is at the Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia show in February.

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