It takes a lot of guts to be the “house band” for a Jerry Springer show, but the Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band fit the bill for the talk show host’s pay-per-view special. The group was hired to provide tunes while Jerry’s gonzo guests duked it out on stage. Yep, it was just another day in the life of the up-and-coming music act.

There’s definitely a buzz on Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, as the powerhouse trio takes American-roots music to a whole new level. The band’s music is forged out of the Mississippi Delta blues, but this act adds a definite edge to the rural southern sounds. The three-piece outfit brings an edgy, punk attitude to the music and cranks out irreverent tunes like “Your Cousin’s On Cops” – as in the TV show. The tune relates to a relative of the band and the Reverend says the song lyrics are all true.

“The band consists of my wife (Breezy) and my brother Jayme,” said Reverend Josh Peyton. “We’ve been playing together for a lot of years. It just clicked and we decided to take the music out to people. We worked hard on the music, but the thing just started taking off on its own. We’ve been touring for three years now, and we play all manner of country blues – we just play the stuff louder and more edgy.”

The Reverend and his Band brought a whole slew of “reality” songs to their new CD “The Whole Fam Damily.” The record will hit the stores Aug. 5 and contains tunes like “Can’t Pay The Bill,” “Walmart Killed The Country Store” and “DT’s Or The Devil.”

“I love songs to be edgy and to have an honesty to the songwriting,” said Peyton. “We don’t try to pull any punches, we just write real straight-forward, plain-speaking songs. We also like to have our songs have a full sound, we can fill up a whole room with a guitar, drums and a washboard.”

The Big Damn Band’s unique sound has infiltrated the indie rock world. The band has shared stages with acts like Flogging Molly, The Avett Brothers and Drive-By Truckers. And yes, the group really did play on a Jerry Springer special.

“We were the house band on Jerry Springer’s pay-per-view special,” said Peyton. “We played during the fistfights and breaks. It was pretty surreal; it was one part funny and one part sad. We’ve been having some great things happen to the band lately. Last week a promoter in Ashland, Oregon held the very first music festival in our honor.”

Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is slated to play the All Good Music Festival, and the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival in Telluride later this summer. The band’s been touring non-stop in the U.S., Canada and Europe and the group’s been getting airplay on both college and satellite radio stations.

If you’re looking for the best Fourth of July party in town, then you’ll want to check out Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band at the Fox Friday. Get there early, the act packed the Fox the last time it played town. 

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Ÿ4A SHORELINE DREAMŸ5

It’s definitely the year for Colorado bands. A Shoreline Dream is a Denver electronica group that’s starting to gain some national and international notice. The act’s lush, sampled textures and layered vocals help create A Shoreline Dream’s ambient musical landscapes.

“We all grew up in Denver,” said vocalist/guitarist Ryan Policky. “The musical premise of the band is to create lush songs that mix electronic and a live sound. It’s a combination between Pink Floyd, Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. The vocals also play a key role in our music – they’re like having another instrument in the band, and the music has this strong melodic guitar line.”

A Shoreline Dream has released its own CDs, but reviews in “Filter” and “Paste” magazines earned the band acclaim in the international music world. The band has been long time fans of Ulrich Schnauss, so the group was excited to be asked to share the stage with the electronica/ambient music master at the Fox Tuesday.

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad hits the Fox Wednesday, and Lez Zeppelin headlines the venue Thursday.

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Ÿ4THE BOULDER THEATRE’S NEW LOUNGE AND STEVE EARLEŸ5

The Boulder Theater just opened up its new Lounge to the public. The pub is adjacent to the theater and offers small plates of food and a full bar. Locals will be able to check out the new Lounge Tuesday, when Steve Earle headlines the venue.

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Ÿ4NISSI’S REALLY GAVE BIGŸ5

Kudos to Nissi’s and all the musicians that helped raise money for the venue’s “Big Give” show last Sunday. Club co-owner Teresa Taylor will present the city of Windsor, Colorado with over $10,000 to aid tornado victims.