Think Booker T sharing a scotch with B.B. King at the crossroads after midnight.
“Guitar licks, picked over tremulous Hammond organ chords and shuffling blues beats are the core of this retro blues collection, which manages to emit authenticity despite the obvious legacy of its influences.” - The Sydney Morning Herald
Think B.B. King sharing a scotch with Booker T at the Crossroads after midnight. With more awards than you can poke a mojo hand at, what started out as a hair brained idea between two friends medicating their way through jazz school over a bottle of red has taken them on an adventure that spans the globe. Multiple gongs in fact suggest Lazy Eye delivers some of the best original blues Australia has to offer.
Not all smooth sailing however, it was while broken down on the side of the highway in their well worn tour van that Lazy Eye learned they had been named Group Of The Year at the 2015 Australian Blues Music Awards where they were to appear. But regional Australia, where the act cut their teeth is a long way from the famed B.B. Kings Blues Club in Memphis where they performed to a packed house just one year later.
Delighting audiences throughout their homeland and from the U.S. to Japan, Evan Whetter’s vocals are gritty with a velvety smack of soul, wielding his weather beaten Hammond with style as he leads an all killer no filler line up featuring rising star of the guitar Erica Graf and the supremely talented Mario Marino on drums. Lazy Eye’s latest offering Black Hill perfectly captures the band in their native environment, live in concert and catapulted the band again to “Group Of The Year at the 2019 Australian Blues Music Awards as well as earning a finalist nomination for “Song Of The Year”. This time you bet they didn’t break down and miss all the fun!
This is what the critics are saying:
“Powerfully fuelled by the soaring sound of Whetter’s B3, Graf’s fretwork is neatly crafted, pushing through the roaring organ sound when needed. Vocals are mostly shared between the members and show a clear grasp of the fundamentals of gritty, gripping delivery and soulful blues demands. This is a band that has quality and purpose at its core.” - Elmore Magazine (USA)
“Fine album from a band that I'd soon want to see play on the European stage.” - Rudolf's Music (Netherlands)
“Un petit tour en Australie pour découvrir un trio remarquable... A remarkable trio” - Blues Again (France)
“That these funky greens are being produced by the Australian band Lazy Eye somewhere in the southern Australian climes is just the international gravy made by the music” - All About Jazz (USA)
“The experience acquired in such a short time of life is expressed in "Lazy Eye"... interweaving the present and future of the blues, showing the strength and passion of the trio” - Stories Of The Blues (Spain)
“A tight, classy, hard-driving outfit. It is easy to see how they won “Group of the Year” in the 2015 National Blues Awards. Numbers such as “House Full of Trouble” and “Blue Tongue Blues” showed their considerable talents in both songwriting and performing.” - Glam Adelaide
“It’s easy to see why Lazy Eye have been getting the plaudits they easily deserve. It’s the blues done well with soul and passion.” - Music SA
“Evan Whetter’s vocals are gritty with a velvety smack of soul” - Sydney Morning Herald
“It’s a pleasure to see a weather-beaten Hammond fronting a band and even more so when it’s wielded with style. Such is the case with Adelaide blues outfit Lazy Eye” - The Australian
“The universal recognition is testament to the hard work and drive the three piece have applied since their formation just three years ago. Their throwback blend of electric blues and old school rock ‘n’ roll has earnt them festival spots all over the country” - Rip It Up
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
“Group Of The Year”
(2019 Australian Blues Music Awards - Chain Awards)
“Most Popular Blues / Roots Artist” Finalist
(2018 South Australian Music Awards)
"Peoples Choice Blues/Roots" Finalist SA Music Awards (2017)
“Best Album” nomination for ‘Pocket The Black’ - Australian Blues Awards (2017)
“Most Popular Blues / Roots Artist” nomination - SA Music Awards (2016)
“Blues Album” for ‘Pocket The Black’ - Adelaide Roots & Blues Association (2016)
“Group of The Year” Australian Blues Awards - Chain Awards (2015)
“Song of The Year” nomination for ‘Hole In My Pocket’ - Australian Blues Music Awards - Chain Awards (2015)
“Most Outstanding Group” SA Roots & Blues Awards (2014)
“Best Blues Act” Fowlers Live SA Music Awards (2014)
“Album of the Year” for Debut Album ‘Move Me’ - SA Blues & Roots Awards (2013)
Album ‘House Of Trouble’ peaked at #3 and charted in top 20 for 10/12 Months (Australian Blues & Roots Airplay Charts March 2014 - Feb 2015)
Album ‘Single Malt Blues’ debuts at #1 - Australian Blues & Roots Airplay Charts March-Dec 2015) remaining in the top 20 for 10 consecutive months
Quarter Finalist First S.A. act to compete at the International Blues Challenge, Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Support act for ‘The Zep Boys’ & John Swan (‘Swanee’) at Clipsal 500 -Music SA Bands On Track (2015)
"Shack O'Mine" from Lazy Eye's latest album "Pocket The Black" featured in sound track to new video promoting Adelaide as a "UNECO City Of Music" Extremely proud of our city! https://youtu.be/Y7VIDpw_NA0
RECENT KEY PERFORMANCES
Adelaide Festival (2017)
Blenheim Festival (2017)
Echuca/Moama Winter Blues Festival (2016/17)
International Blues Challenge Memphis USA (2016)
City Of Adelaide New Years Eve Concert (2016)
Spiegel Tent - Docklands Blues Festival (2016)
Clipsal 500 After Race Concert (2015)
Sydney Blues & Roots Festival (2015)
Deep South Roots & Blues Festival (2015)
Bendigo Blues & Roots FestivalFestival (2014/15/16)
Blues In The Briars (2015)
Blues On Broadbeach (2015)
Blues In The Barossa (2014)
Gympie Muster (2014)
Australian Blues Music Festival (2013/15/17)