Smokin’

Ronnie Rogers - Vocals
Johnny Glover - Guitar/Vocals
Thomas “T.K.” Kent - Bass/Vocals
Scotti Montagnino - Drums/Vocals
David Krol - Keyboards/Vocals
Dave Blackburn - Sound/Audio
Justin Blackburn - Lighting

SMOKIN was formed for one reason….to provide the most exciting musical experience ever.
SMOKIN not only has the best musicians in the area but a stage and light show only matched by concert type situations.
SMOKIN has decades of experience in its line-up and with that comes a presentation that one would only get from a full concert experience. If you close your eyes you will here the songs done to perfection and feel like you are actually in a concert hall. Open them only to be proven correct. The only difference is…
SMOKIN brings the “big-time arena” feel to any environment, large or small.

Let me introduce you to SMOKIN…
 
Ronnie Rogers is by far one of the best kept secrets in the music business. Ronnie not only sings the songs with incredible accuracy and attention to tone, he sounds just like the
artist who originally sang the song.  If you are a Steve Perry fan, you will swear you are at a Journey concert.  If you like The Who, then he is Roger Daultry. 
Ledd Zeppelin…say no more.  But if that is not convincing enough, listen to him sing Barracuda…Sounds just like the record, and it was sung by Heart whose lead singer is a girl.  This guy has range and tonality like no one else.  And if that is not enough, just wait until you hear him play guitar.  He is one of the best!
 
Johnny Glover.  Awesome is the first word that comes to mind.  After weeding through countless guitarists to fill the position, Johnny walks in and seals the deal with some of the most articulate guitar work you will everhear.  Yes he can play Van Halen, Rush, Toto, Journey and Peter Frampton as well as the original artists.  But that is not all. He is so smooth that you will be wanting more. None of that shrill guitar heard by lesser players.  Johnny is all polish.  But make no mistake; he can be brutal when it comes to soloing.  Guitar players from other bands come out to see Johnny in hopes of learning just one more trick.
 
T.K.  Where to begin.  This man has forgotten more about bass guitar than most guys will ever know.  His talent allows him to play licks that a good many guitar players only wish they could play but as we all know, being solid is a crucial element to playing bass.  T.K. knows how to lay it down solid and then turn around and amaze you with his unsurpassed technique.  But watching his explosive energy on stage is one of the many highlights of the night…you will be amazed.
 
David is the keyboard player.  David has spent countless years learning the styles and techniques of keyboard players from this era of music, an era where keyboards were the very foundation of a bands particular sound.  David has been overheard saying that his greatest asset to any band is his ability to be a chameleon.  If it is a horn section you need, or a second guitar part, or just a beautiful grand piano, then he is your man.  Listen to SMOKIN perform 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago.  You can actually hear the individual trumpet, trombone and sax parts.  David’s early start in synthesizer programming helped him hone his skills.  David uses one of the most extensive keyboard setups in the industry and his attention to detail makes for a very realistic performance.
 
Scotti…A.K.A….the animal.  Power, power, power.  Scotti is another founding member of SMOKIN and combines brute force with the finesse of a skilled surgeon.  He has been compared to Steve Smith (Journey), Alex VanHalen, Jeff Porcaro(Toto) just to name a few.  His execution is flawless and if it is a good solid foundation you are looking to hear then listen up.  His powerful drumming drives this band and he too is a perfectionist. Nothing gets by this guy and he is also something else to watch.  Scotti has put together an awesome drum kit complete with internal miking.  This gives him the control to create that powerful sound at a comparatively low volume.
 
Dave Blackburn is our audio engineer. Simply put, he has the golden ears to ensure you have the very best in sound.  He is detail oriented and understands that clarity and quality of sound is as important as anything. He has many years of experience and SMOKIN could not afford anything less than the best...that is why he was our only choice for this position.  Combine him with an incredible P.A. system that can handle anything short of a major arena and you have an awesome audio experience.
 
Justin is in charge of one of the most state of the art light shows to ever hit the circuit.  Justin has shown that his flare for lighting combined with his passion for his work makes SMOKIN a complete experience.  Not only does SMOKIN sound authentic, but this band looks the part with a completely computerized lighting system that uses state of the art lasers, moving scanners, and a full compliment of color changing lights.  Justin is a top lighting director and his keen eye makes for some really great visual effects. This IS a concert light show and you will enjoy the visual presentation as much as the sound. 
 
Devin is our stage manager.  Devin makes sure the musicians have everything they need.  He is in charge of the instruments, as well as the players. He sees to it that should any of the guys need anything from a glass of water to a different guitar, they have it right away.  This gives SMOKIN the "visual" edge that many other bands do not have.  Let’s face it; if you want to be the best, you have to look the part as well.  Having a stage manager like Devin gives SMOKIN that very thing.
 
In addition we have a full road crew who not only sets up our gear, they are there first thing to make sure we understand your needs and set up our show in cooperation with your event.  This eliminates any confusion and creates a stress free show, for all to enjoy.
 
SMOKIN is not only a very skilled musical machine, but a vocally accomplished group as well. Each member brings to the table a very solid vocal ability and their ability to blend will leave you with goose bumps.  After hearing The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, Lady by Styx, or any number of songs with complex harmonies, I am sure you will agree that this is one of the best vocal bands around.  This band has it all.

Song List
 
Set 1
 
Smokin-Boston
Feels Like the First Time-Foreigner
Immigrant Song-Led Zeppelin
Roll With the Changes-R.E.O. Speedwagon
Send Her My Love-Journey
Pinball Wizard-The Who
Rosanna-Toto
Double Vision-Foreigner
The Flame-Cheap Trick
Livin on a Prayer-Bon Jovi
T-N-T-AC/DC
 
Set 2
 
Tom Sawyer-Rush
La Do Da-Journey
YYZ-Rush
Carry On My Wayward Son-Kansas
We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions-Queen
Jump-Van Halen
Stone in Love-Journey
Take Me to the Top-Loverboy
What Is and What Will Never Be-Led Zeppelin
Faithfully-Journey
The Chain-Fleetwood Mac
25 or 6 to 4-Chicago
Still of the Night-White Snake
 
Set 3
 
Separate Ways-Journey
Dance the Night Away-Van Halen
Lady-Styx
Whole Lotta Love-Led Zeppelin
Barracuda-Heart
Do You Feel Like We Do-Peter Frampton
Don’t Stop Believin-Journey
Lights-Journey
Hold The Line-Toto
Rock and Roll-Led Zeppelin
Panama-Van Halen

Equipment List
P.A.
 
SMOKIN has put together a state of the art system that not only gives clarity to the music; it gives us the power to reproduce such a “big” sound.  Big, NOT loud is SMOKIN’s goal.  We want you to enjoy the experience, not be blasted by it.  We have JBL bass cabinets for a very solid low end combined with a full range cabinet that was specifically designed for a sweet, clean sound.  This is a critical part of any band and if the sound system is in the least way inadequate, then the whole thing goes south real quick.  We have all the toys and goodies to make our sound complete and we are sure that you will agree.
 
Lighting
 
Justin uses top of the line equipment to ensure the very best visual experience.  Imagine a laser shining through the fog, surrounded by lights that move in all directions and create all sorts of different designs and patterns.  Combine that with color changing lights that in a blink of an eye can change to sixteen different colors…just think of the possibilities.
 
Staging
 
SMOKIN also has a complete stage setup so not only does the band sound and look good, the staging gives that extra look of a concert, something so overlooked by so many bands.
Sure this all adds up to extra work for the band, but total integrity is the driving force behind the vision of SMOKIN.  We want to present a complete show that stimulates all the senses and when people leave a SMOKIN show, they can’t stop talking about it.
 
In closing let me say that SMOKIN prides itself on keeping it’s image strong and that can only be accomplished by being very flexible. I am sure by now you have thought…”wow, these guys might just be this good, but boy I bet they are difficult to deal with.”  Sure any band of this caliber has a reputation of being hard heads but let me assure you, this is NOT the case with SMOKIN.  We know that to be the best, you have to cover all the bases and being the best band means being aware of the client.  After all, we are playing for you, the client, and our job is to make your engagement a huge success.  No place for egos here…your wish is our command.  Too loud, no problem.   Need it a little louder; well we are plenty capable of that as well.
 
So if you have a small party or are putting on an outdoor concert, we have the gear, talent and experience to give you the biggest bang your buck has ever seen.
 
 
Thank You in Advance for Your Time,
 
SMOKIN

The band “Smokin” played its first gig in 2002, but keyboardist David Krol says the idea for the band was born in 1977, a quarter-century earlier. “That’s when Boston released their first album,” he explains. “I was a teenager and this style of music made a major impact on me.”

The music he’s talking about is commonly known as “arena rock.” Acts like Journey, Styx, Kansas, Peter Frampton and REO Speedwagon, sold out stadiums across the country from the mid ’70s to the mid ’80s. Energetic performers, melodic rock tunes, power ballads, huge sound systems and million-watt light shows culminated into unforgettable live shows.

Smokin’s goal is to recreate the stadium experience in local clubs. “It’s about stimulating the senses with sight, sound and emotion,” says Krol.

It takes a crew of nine to make the experience happen: five musicians on stage (Krol, vocalist Ronnie Rogers, drummer Scotti Montagnino, bassist Thomas “tk” Kent and guitarist Matt Bradley) and four “band members” off stage (light coordinator Kevin Vanover and equipment techs Dave Blackburn, Justin Blackburn and Devin Luther). All of the instrumentalists sing, providing rich harmonies to Rogers’ searing vocals.

“Everyone told us that this would never work,” says Krol. “We took it as a challenge.”
Smokin’s stadium rock format is now winning crowds over. Their talent and showmanship – mixed with a spectacular lightshow – makes rock fans forget how long it’s been since they held up lighters for songs like Journey’s “Faithfully” or Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do?”

You can get the full Smokin experience on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, at Midtown Sundries in Cornelius.