Press

The Quest For Sadie Premieres at Palace Theater

By Mike Jaquays
Mid-York Weekly 2005-12-01

HAMILTON -- Music fans got to experience the first DVD of area favorites Bag 'A' Bones during a big-time interactive event November 19, viewing the just-released film The Quest for Sadie at the Palace Theater alongside producer and Bones guitarist/lead vocalist Steve Golley with all the excitement of a live concert itself.

Nearly 100 people came out to the theater to watch the premiere of Golley's film on the big screen, while at the same time raising money for a good cause - ticket sales and donations raised more than $1,000 for the Community Action Partnership, with the money specifically planned to help the needy with heating bills this winter.

The hour-plus DVD shows the set-up and performance of a live Bag 'A' Bones concert, featuring 12 original songs performed live at the former Earlville Elementary School by Golley and bandmates Marty Mettler on electric soul guitar and backing vocals, Carl Pickett on bass and backing vocals, Jymn Chamberlain on percussion and backing vocals, and Ron Morgan on drums, shot from six different camera angles.

Golley, who greeted the crowd with son Shawn before the show, admitted he felt the production of the DVD was kind of like having a baby.

"My water just broke," he told the audience while at the podium before the show for a final word of introduction to the crowd. The lights went down, and the theatergoers were treated to a not-too-common event: watching a film with the talent who created it. The audience was encouraged by Golley to take part in the show by clapping and cheering at times they were impressed by the musicianship like they would at a real live event, and they obliged with enthusiasm.

The sound of the soulful blues rock music of Bag 'A' Bones was clear, crisp, and powerful - audience members closing their eyes could swear a live band was indeed on the Palace stage that evening, and that was a big compliment to the quality of Golley's DVD, a project that took 50 hours of production work and the help of 21 friends. Golley's production was easily on a level with anything seen on a television music channel or in a theater, and it is only the beginning.

Golley said he intends to return with another fundraising event next year.

"There's a lot of talent around here," he said. "I hope I can tap into that and do something else next year. You can turn on the news anytime and see negative things - I want to do something positive."

For more information or to order a copy of the DVD, check out www.stevegolley.com.

Donations are still being accepted...to make a donation, send it to the Sadie Fund, 5387 Hill Rd., Hamilton, NY 13346.

To get your own entertainment news in the Open Mike spotlight, drop a line to 104 W. Hamilton Ave., Sherrill, NY 13461; e-mail to tcweekly@dreamscape.com; or call (315) 366-0564.

Steve Golley of the Hamilton-based band Bag 'A' Bones has taken the quintet's longtime musical popularity to a whole new medium with his just-released DVD The Quest for Sadie, an intimate look at the group behind the scenes and on stage through the set up and performance of a live concert. Golley debuted the DVD on the big screen at the Palace Theater in Hamilton on November 19 before an enthusiastic crowd - at the same time raising more than $1,000 for the Community Action Partnership.