Today we’d like to introduce you to Small Town 7 Band.
Hi Small Town 7 band, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
We are a rock cover band in the DC metro area. We formed in 2020, during the pandemic, and have been active since. Joe and Doug, both guitar players, met in the Army while stationed in Korea in 2000. After finding themselves living in the same area 20 years later, they decided to form Small Town 7. The spark that ignited this inferno of a band was actually a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. After seeing a band of ten year olds playing in front of the Hall of Fame, Joe and Doug said to themselves “if a bunch of ten year olds can do it, so can we!”
Our members come from different parts of the country, but all ended up in the DC metro area. Our love of rock music is the common thread that holds us together: it doesn’t matter the decade it is from or the genre of rock music; from punk to pop, from “All the Small Things” to “Zombie.” If it gets people singing along (it’s ok if the words are slurred… we know what you are saying), dancing, and throwing their arms in the air, we are satisfied.
The origins of the name Small Town 7 are shrouded in mystery. Come check out one of our shows and ask us!
Most of the band members and two prior band members are military veterans. Between those five veterans there are three Army vets, one Air Force, and one Marine.
Our lineup:
Samaine Lockwood on vocals. Samaine lives in Fairfax though she is originally from a small town in rural Maine. Her first memories of performing are of singing along to old country and blues songs at family gatherings and of putting on fabulously choreographed solo dance shows for her parents based on the only cassette tape she owned: Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Doug Haskin on rhythm guitar and backup vocals. Doug lives in Springfield and originally hails from Maryland. Although he still enjoys listening to Metallica in his Camaro, he no longer sports a mullet.
Joe Sheehy on lead and rhythm guitar. Joe is a Wisconsinite, born a mere 40 miles from the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field.
Jose Centeno on bass. Jose is a tall and inarguably handsome man originally from Puerto Rico, who moved to the US 20 years ago in search of a better life.
Brian Mitchell plays drums. He is also the fun one, hot one, sporty one, dangerous one, and outgoing one – all wrapped up in a tattooed bearded bow.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Forming a band during the pandemic was a unique challenge. Finding gigs in 2020 and 2021 was extremely difficult. It was a tough time for local venues as well as musicians. At one point, we had to rehearse in masks and play to nearly empty venues where the band members often outnumbered the customers and staff! We are thankful that those days are behind us, but it taught us to put on a high energy show no matter how big or small the audience.
For all of us, this is a side gig. Balancing work, family life, weekly band rehearsals, and performances is always a challenge. Maintaining an updated band calendar with member availability and having a regular weekly rehearsal helps to keep everything running smoothly. We all pitch in to help out with the equipment setup and teardown, running the soundboard during shows, and coordinating with venues for gigs.
The rewards outweigh the challenges by far!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re a cover band performing high energy rock music from the 70s through to today. Our gigs are primarily at bars, restaurants, and vineyards. We are also available to play at private parties, festivals, and other events. We have a pretty extensive catalog, so we are able to customize a bit to meet the needs of our audience.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As Gen-Xers, we grew up drinking water from a garden hose, shooting BB guns at everything, and riding bikes until nightfall without the safety net of Air Tags or cell phones. Some of our favorite bands come from that era like Guns n Roses, Whitesnake, and Led Zeppelin.
But we evolved with the times. Much of what we perform reflects changes in rock from the 90s on: we cover Pearl Jam, Oasis, Blink 182, The Black Keys, Neon Trees, The Killers, Chappell Roan and many more.
Pricing:
- We do this for the fun of it and put all our band earnings back into the band. We pay it back to our fans by handing out free merchandise at shows and giving every show all that we’ve got. Our gigs usually start around $500, but we’re always willing to work with customers, especially if it is for a good cause like when we played at a local church festival. Prices will vary depending on the venue size and what is provided (stage, sound technician, backline, etc).
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small.town.7/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmallTown7band
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@smalltown7band645
- Other: https://www.st7band.com/
