When Daze on the Green submitted its performance of Sammy Hagar’s “Heavy Metal” for 98.5’s Last Band Standing in 2010, they were one of three semi-finalists – out of 300.
In addition to having the kind of stamina that can handle five straight hours of performing – and come back the next night and do it again with just as much energy – lead singer Marc Hall can do an insanely spot-on Hagar. When they hear it, listeners start looking for tequila.
“They thought it was Hagar on the recording,” says guitarist Steve Lane.
Soon after the contest, Hagar caught wind of the performance and had his manager contact the band to voice his support. The salt on the rim of the margarita: Daze was invited to perform at the Cabo Wabo mastermind’s private pre-concert show in Thunder Valley, billed as “Sammy Hagar’s favorite cover band.”
That reinforces the point that there are cover bands, then there is Daze, who takes the art form to another level.
From Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” to Tom Petty’s “Breakdown,” every tune the Bay Area outfit attacks is first mapped to match every element of the original, down to each beats-per-minute measurement. Drummer Aaron Cross employs a metronome to get it right.
“We give the audience an exact duplicate of what they hear on CD and radio,” Lane says.
Lane even plays the guitar solos, note-for-note, as they’re approached in the original, and uses the same tonality.
These guys are so precise they know how long a night’s set will be – down to the minute – before they get on stage.
Daze initially hooked up in 2009 to play a buddy’s birthday party, but that one-time gig ignited a whole lot of chemistry drawn from a combined 120 years of experience.
Between the radio contest and a rock star’s approval, the outfit’s glowing resume has kept the workflow constant, from the San Francisco Beer Festival and Comcast’s Santa Cruz Spring Break Festival to Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s annual new beer release party and several wineries throughout Napa.
“Our goal is to continue to play venues we’ve never played,” Lane says.
On Saturday, Daze adds another new venue to its roster with Sly’s.
“People will be left wanting more,” Lane promises. “We’re riding the wave right now and it keeps on rolling.”
DAZE ON THE GREEN perform at 9pm Saturday, May 31, at Sly McFly’s, 700-A Cannery Row, Monterey. Free. 649-8050.
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