PORCHLIGHTS Press Articles


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*Glenwood Springs Post Independant* May 23, 2008 PORCHLIGHTS TO PLAY YAGATTA REGATTA by Stina Sieg Don't they look like they're having a good time? The Porchlights sound like it, too. During a recent conversation, the acoustic duo (Bill Kneebone and Deb Hilton) were at once upbeat and laid back, each taking a turn on the phone. "I'm not sure what bought us together, " Hilton said, "but I'm sure glad it did." She recalled how they met, back in 1996. Hilton was 21 then and new at the guitar. She was trying her hand at the open mic scene in Flagstaff, AZ. Those days, she was happy to play with anyone. That's when Kneebone, a musician since the 70's, came on the scene. They started out as "jamming buddies", she said, with him on the acoustic lead guitar and her on guitar and vocals. At first they played their lively bluegrass melodies on Hilton's back porch, but eventually moved to coffee house gigs. As Hilton's guitar skills grew, the Porchlights started taking their tunes on the road and putting out CDs. Eventually, their mix of original pieces and reworked classics could be heard all around the Four Corners area. Since then, they haven't let up their playing one bit. "We just decided that we love it," Hilton said, "and we're going to keep doing it and keep riding the wave." And then she answered the question all musical couples do. What's it like to work with your sweetheart? "It doesn't feel like work," she said, sounding totally earnest. "It feels more like connecting, and it's great." When handed the phone, Kneebone agreed whole-heartedly. Though he doesn't get to see it himself, he said that poeple are always commenting about the closeness the band shows on stage. The audience notices those smiles, the unspoken cues. "We have some kind of chemistry and special intimacy," he said, "and that's apparent to the public." He didn't really try to explain their work, saying that it was too hard to describe. Anyway, he'd rather hear someone else take a stab at it. So, for the record, the few songs up on their website are actually difficult to put to words. They're sassy and fast-paced, almost Appalachian in feel, yet also distinctively modern. Kneebone's guitar stylings are quick and enviable, and Hilton's vocals are crisp and clear and sweet, with just a hint of twang. As Kneebone told it, it was that "special" quality of Hilton's voice that really drew him to her. In short, they sound like they fit together - in a way you just kind of have to hear for yourself. "When we get up there (on stage), we actually draw on some outside energy and channel that into some high energy thing." Kneebone said, "it's sort of the only way we know how to do it." They take their music seriously, not themselves, he explained. And this isn't about being famous or even having people like them. It's about being connected to something bigger than themselves, something beyond the everyday world. It's about communing with the audience and with each other, too. Life is like a movie, he went on, and they're the ones writing their own script. "As we're seeing it, we can either go work for a living or play for a living," he said, "I'd rather play for a living, if I had a choice." And he gave out a happy, hearty laugh. There's just no arguing with that. *Flag Live!* THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE August 27, 2009 Former Flastaff duo The Porchlights are all set for quite a busy weekend at Altitudes with a three day run of their folky, bluegrass-tinged original acoustic music. Go by and hang out with Deb and Billy-whos superhuman stamina suggests to us that they're not acually of this planet--some of the Southwest's most well travelled, laid-back and skilled players (who might also be aliens). LIKE A SHORT STACK OF PANCACKES July 30, 2009 Always a local favorite-even though they're no longer local themselves-the Porchlights are in town with their acoustic Amercana rock and will be playing a three-night gig at Altitudes. It's a triple dose of Porchlighty goodness. THE PORCHLIGHTS AT ALTITUDES March 19, 2009 Nearly every month we profess our deep and undying love for the duo known as the Porchlights. And we also often tend to lament Deb Hilton and Billy Kneebone moving away from Flag. But, being as they make the haul from southwest Colorado with incredible regularity, we still think of them as full-fledged locals. So get out for their two-night stand at Altitudes this weekend. DOUBLE THE FUN January 29, 2009 Worth cathing any time they make it to Flagstaff from their Colorado home, the Porchlights will be playing a two-night gig at Altitudes, 2 S. Beaver. Check it out for some classic Americana goodness starting at 7pm each night. Check out www.porchlights.20m.com. October 31, 2008 by Ryan Heinsius Whenever Deb Hilton and Billy Kneebone come back to good old northern Arizona, we always like to give them a shout-out. As local music veterans, the duo has played just about every spot in the region and lived in Flag for years establishing themselves as mainstays of the scene. Now, they're still mainstays even though they live in southwest Colorado. Come out to Oak Creek on Halloween to celebrate with them as they run through their catalogue of blues, folk-rock, and bluegrass-inspired originals and choice covers. July 2008 by Ryan Heinsius Ah, Deb and Billy. For years this duo was a staple of the Flag music scene, and then last year they up and left for the wild of southwestern Colorado. They certainly are missed... and this weekend they'll be doing a three-day run at Altitudes. Be sure not to miss these former locals do their acoustic/folk/blues thing south of the tracks. If that's not enough, they're also playing at Heritage Square on Saturday and at the new New Frontiers on Sunday. Whew! April 12, 2007 Deb Hilton and Billy Kneebone are two stalwarts of the Flagstaff music scene. The two have played together for years in various incarnations, most notably the Porchlights, which itself has taken on many forms over the years. The musical blend of these two is such that whether they're going electric with drums and amps or with the stripped-down string band lineup, their music is always original and compelling with Hilton's sweet, soothing vocals and Kneebone's flawless guitar picking... August 18, 2005 Flag’s psychedelic Americana ambassadors release Song in My Hand by: Ryan Heinsius There’s just something to the Porchlights. Maybe it’s the guitar virtuosity of Flag music veteran Wild Billy Kneebone. Maybe it’s the hippy mother guru aura to vocalist and guitarist Deb Hilton. Maybe it’s the comfortable, dreamy chemistry between the two that is exuded every time they take the stage. Whatever the intangible draw, the Porchlights have risen to become one of Flag’s most consistent and recognizable bands. With their newest record Song in My Hand, the duo, with their impressive cadre of music cohorts, has solidified their lazy, lackadaisical folk/bluegrass/blues into something that transcends mere bar band bravado. Song in My Hand is a collection of 11 songs written, save one tune, by Hilton and Kneebone, the core of the Porchlights, and features expert northern Arizona musicians like the ubiquitous, fleet-fingered mandolinist Aaron Tyler, drummer and rhythm master Andrew Lauher, and Jerome studio maestro Steve Botterweg, also on drums. On Song in My Hand, Hilton’s vocals have a sweet, friendly and calming quality to them. Her lyrics and singing style always sound like a friend’s soothing voice. Likewise, Kneebone’s guitar playing is akin to someone leaning in close for a juicy secret. Known mostly for his electric picking, Kneebone’s acoustic playing on the record is clean and fast but not over-the-top, a common pitfall among electric players making an acoustic detour. The first track on the record, “Hippy High Rise,” captures the quintessential Flagstaff experience describing the joyous, self-imposed poverty and squalor that many endure to remain in the town. “Chemtrails” is a Woody Guthrie-esque rant against the forces that reel in the human spirit. In the tune Hilton takes a stab at the dwindling Red Rock Pass program in Sedona as well as the nation’s drug laws. “Without a pass, without a Red Rock Pass, I like to live on my own,” sings Hilton. And later, “Don’t give me no hemp laws, don’t give me no hemp laws, I like to live on my own.” The tune is complemented by a couple of smokin’ mando solos by Aaron Tyler (standard for him) and some sweet acoustic flatpicking by Kneebone. The sixth track on the album, “Song in My Hand,” can in many ways be viewed as the mission statement for the Porchlights. “Spread the love and not the fear, choose the way every day,” sings Hilton, with her sweet, suggestive but understated vocal delivery. Kneebone’s reverb-drenched vintage Stratocaster sound provides a perfect foil to Hilton’s sugary vixen-in-disguise persona. The next track, the instrumental “It’s a Hoot,” takes quite a departure from the rest of the songs on Song in My Hand. With a Thompson Twins-type synth trippiness and an atmospherically adventurous “Revolution 9” collage feel, the song lets the listener in on a little more of the goings-on in Ms. Hilton’s and Mr. Kneebone’s minds. The ninth track on Song in My Hand, “Song for Mista Hicks,” is a Kneebone-written instrumental ode to the keeper of the Lenny Bruce flame, comedian Bill Hicks. Kneebone and Hilton also dedicate the album to Hicks, who died of cancer in 1994. The Porchlights will have an album release for Song in My Hand Sun, Aug. 21 at 4pm at the Mountainaire Tavern, 110 Mountainaire Road. For more info, see www.porchlights.20m.com or call 525-1137. "The Porchlights mix earthy funk with bluegrass for a uniquely Northern Arizona sound" "This band blends music of Old World America with modern folk and rock to produce a soulful sound." "Some of Flagstaff's favorite musicians...always great lead guitar." "...the backbone of the (Southwest) Hempfest..." "...some of the finest folk sounds heard around."
The Noise Music for the Masses by Chipotle Frank - February 2009 The Porchlights are nothing if not charming. And Talented. I'm just going to nip this one in the bud and say that I'm not going to do their mostly acoustic sound justice. I'll say that if amplified, they would be heavy in the best sense of the word. As is, they could destroy on Hee Haw or Prairie Home Companion. They live in Colorado but their Northern Arizona shows in the coming months are numerous enough to make them local. They'll be playing next week in Sedona February 13 at Oak Creek Brewey. August 2005 by: Kaelen Quintero and Ryan Narce On the back of Porchlights' newest record, Song in My Hand, in letters the same size and boldness as the title itself, is a proclamation that warms the cockles of my heart: "This album is dedicated to the memory of Bill Hicks." ...This tidbit didn't in itself give any insight to the bands quality of output, but I have to admit that it did at least anoint them with my benediction. The Porchlights are primarily the songwriting team of local musicians Deb Hilton and Wild Billy Kneebone, with a hefty contribution from a gaggle of backing musicians...The Porchlights' sound is undeniably built around the dueling melodies of Hilton's voice and Kneebone's slinky, understated lead guitar sound. There is an unmistakable respect for the "jam" (the muted jams bear more than a passing resemblance to 80s-era Grateful Dead) and the almighty Bluegrass whether affected or not, Hilton's voice embraces a slightly lazy twang, and there's more than a touch of banjo, especially on the closing track, "Rainbow Jam." If the Porchlights sound like anything to me, they sound like Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Aside from the vocal similarities, Hilton delivers her lines in the same dreamy, whispery tone as Miz Brickell, and there is a certain bohemian inoffensiveness and mischievous naivety to the Porchlights sound that lends itself to such comparisons. Listening to the record as a whole, it seems odd in retrospect that such a mellow, optimistic band would feel so kindred enough to Bill Hicks that they dedicate an entire record to the notoriously surly and agressive comedian. But if one listens closely to Hicks' delicious rants, there is usually a moment where the irascible idealist and humanist in him leaks out. Hicks would often end shows with a decidedly powerful and purposefully unfunny declaration to the possibility of gleeful honesty and meaningful interpersonal connection for everybody on the planet if "we would just work at it." The overarching message, despite the hilarious gloom, was that there was a light at the end of the tunnel... They have a slew of Arizona shows coming up in August. Check out their website www.porchlights.20m.com for play dates and more info.
Songramp.com "Very cool...Cowboy Junkie-ish but I'm not bummed at all." "I had my laptop iTunes set on shuffle, working away, when this song (How Many Miles) came on. I had to drop what I was doing and track you guys down. Man, it's just one of those perfect gems that sounds new and familiar at the same time. The instrumentation is daring and effective, great lyrics, and oh, that vocal... Home run, you guys."
Kudos 11/16/05 EDDIE ELLIOTT, THE PORCHLIGHTS PERFORM IN PRESCOTT ON FRIDAY "On Friday, Nov. 18, at 7pm the Granite Peak Folk Sessions presents two Arizona acts representing Phoenix and Flagstaff. Songwriter and recording atrist Eddie Elliott comes up from the Valley while audience favorites The Porchlights, with duo Deb Hilton and Wild Billy Kneebone, venture down from the mountains. Formed in 1999 on a back porch in the mountains of Northern Arizona, the Porchlights' music has major influences of rock, folk, bluegrass, and jamband, with hints of country, all blended together to create their "signature sound". A local paper has dubbed the sound as Psychedelic Acousto-Billy Folk Rock and Roll Dance Music, and Kneebone is easily one of the best guitarists around. They have recently released their new album, Song In My Hand. They perform at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Hall in Prescott. Cost is $5. Every month Granite Peak Folk Sessions bring together great music, good people, tasty treats, and lots of community spirit in a warm, welcoming environment.
Flgnews.com Two of the lights were with us today and if this is the sound from just these two...imagine if the whole Porch was lit! Really fine musicians.