Three misconceptions must be cleared up about Champagne Heights: They do not like Champagne, they are not influenced by Radiohead, and they are not from Rhode Island. So what is Champagne Heights?
"A dancey, twitchy grunge band," quips Jesse Butcher, guitarist and singer, or "Yeller."
While their name derives from a housing project and a racehorse, both in Rhode Island, the four pranksters of Champagne Heights hail from Jackson. There are several things fans expect of a Champagne Heights show, including broken equipment and split skin. They are talented musicians as well as natural entertainers.
"I just hate when you go to a show, and the band just stands there, and you're like, 'I could I have just listened to their record at my house.' You want it to be entertaining," Butcher says.
Those who have followed the Jackson music scene for years may recognize three of the members of Champagne Heights–-Butcher, drummer Clint Dear and guitarist William Fox—as former members of A Brand New You. When A Brand New You lost their bassist Andrew Fox to King Elementary several years ago, they recruited bassist Andrew Rueff, and Champagne Heights was born.
If one were to sum up the sound of Champagne Heights in one word, "energetic" would be a good start. Their music is fast-paced and resonates with the beats of '90s rock.
Dear describes their sound as "Led Zeppelin if they had started playing in the early '90s."
Until recently, Champagne Heights has only graced Jackson with live shows during Christmas and summer breaks because Butcher attends Rhode Island School of Design. Since Butcher has recently graduated and returned to Jackson, the members of Champagne Heights are likely to become much more familiar faces.
"We try to play as many bar shows as all-ages shows because something I always hated about Jackson was the lack of all-ages venues," Butcher says.
"The kids are usually more fun because they're not too cool for school, yet," Fox adds.
Champagne Heights anticipates becoming a greater part of the growing Jackson music and arts scene.
"I think people are realizing that there are good bands in the South and that you don't have to be above the Mason-Dixon line to play guitar. People in Jackson are more interested in going out to see live shows now," Butcher says.
Having recorded two albums with Matt Pleasant of The Laboratory, "Oh Get Over Me" and "You Know We Own," Champagne Heights will be back in the studio this winter with a new arsenal of songs. The group is also developing a Web site and merchandise, such as t-shirts, stickers and buttons.
For now, you can get your "dancey twitchy" fix by celebrating the New Year with Champagne Heights at W.C. Don's.
"New Year's is the only time the bar scene acts like the all-ages scene. It's the only time people are like, 'I just want to party,'" Butcher says.
What should you expect from the New Years show? New songs, for one.
"Odds are something will break," Fox says. "We can't afford to break our equipment anymore," Dear explains.
"Don't make any promises; we want it to be a surprise," Butcher concludes.
Champagne Heights knows all about spontaneity and random acts of chaos.
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