Who is Keyser Soze?

For a little city, Reno has a grip of tremendous bands that will leave a powerful impact on anybody.

Keyser Soze, a well known West Coast band is made up of a group of lovable guys with unbelievable talent and great modesty. Jammal Tarkington, Rodney Teague, Brian Trotter, Mike Mayhall, and Justin Kruger have been around for a while as Keyser Soze and fame hasn’t gotten to their heads.

Their style is a vicious combination of ska, reggae, dub, hip hop and punk featuring striking vocals, blaring horns, phat bass and guitars riffs and a powerful drum beat. The band plays often in Reno and Sacremento and usually performs to raving fans at the Green Room.

Friday night brought giant groups of partiers who were ready for the weekend after a hectic work week. The Green Room is usually pretty busy later in the night near midnight. The sounds of the horns swept in local fans and even some curious ears hearing their unique sound for the first time.

Ernie Upton, also known as Borg One, spun a few brilliant sounds from his collection of music including Gnarles Barkley, Sade, and Yesterday’s New Quintet. Not only is Ernie the front man of Who Cares and a brilliant artist, he’s also a goof.

The place was a bit empty at first but by the time Keyser Soze played their first note, a wave of folks fell into the room. People were dancing like maniacs, passing drinks, and having an all out great time.

Tina Townsend, a good friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in a while was getting down to the funky beats. “I came out to see a band I’ve never heard of,” said Townsend. “But I must say that they sure got my body shaking!” Alicia Gonzales, another friend I hadn’t seen in years was new to the Green Room and the whole Reno music scene. “I’ve never really heard of these guys before but I love it!” said Gonzales. Even if you never heard of Keyser Soze, it’s an experience that you must hear for yourself.

Of course the band had their usual crew of die hard fans. “I love Keyser Soze!” said Brad Lampki. “I’ve been seeing them since they were The Mudsharks.” Joel Grer, a 22-year-old from Reno came out of the Green Room with a big smile. “Refreshing!” grinned Grer about the fantastic band.

After everyone was covered in sweat and a little buzzed from the dozens of kamikaze shots, the place started to die down. The band stayed to have a few drinks and chat with everyone. “The crowd was great,” said Jammal Tarkington, the saxophone player of Keyser Soze. “I really had a good time.”

If you haven’t heard Keyser Soze before, what are you doing? Get out there and see them; an awesome Reno experience for anyone with a passion for incredible music.