New York's garage rock threesome Earl Greyhound exploded upon Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta's midtown Thursday night (April 19), stealing the glory from opening act, fellow classic throwback rowdies, Rose Hill Drive. The trio of reincarnated old rock souls -- vocalist/guitarist Matt Whyte, bassist/vocalist Kamara Thomas and drummer Christopher Bear -- thundered through a blistering set of songs mostly lifted from their debut full-length Soft Targets, conjuring up the spirit of '70s rock and soul without any flashy gimmicks or over-the-top antics. Whyte shed his blazer and got down to business for the rollicking "All Better Now," eliciting a few cheers from the mostly reticent crowd of indie scenesters and rock veterans with his fierce guitar licks, proving that he had the rock to back up his long straight hair and skin-tight pants. The group unleashed their final fury with the closing medley of "S.O.S./Monkey," creating more noise on such a small stage than any three-piece should be able to invoke on their own. Sometimes it pays to show up early. NATALIE B. DAVID / PHOTOS BY ALEXI STRISH
We asked: The word Greyhound references the bus line of the same name. How far would you take a Greyhound bus for a trip?
Name: Brandon Montgomery
Age: 24
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Student
"Zero miles because I have a car and the bus system is horrible in Atlanta."
Name: Evan McHugh
Age: 25
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Graphic designer
"How far do they go? I would take it to London."
Name: Chance Walls
Age: 33
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC
Occupation: Bar manager
"Not one block."
Name: Alex Auxier
Age: 24
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Web development
"3,000 miles."
Name: Amanda DiDia
Age: 32
Hometown: Myrtle Beach, SC
Occupation: Artist/stay-at-home mom
"As far as it would go. I love to travel."
Name: Ken Beck
Age: 26
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Occupation: Unemployed
"Fuck, I don't know. I get free flights. 2,000 miles to go see something. For whatever."
Name: Tony Cocchi
Age: 47
Hometown: Decatur, GA
Occupation: Sports memorabilia
"Not very far. I did one bus trip. It was no good."
Name: Ellen Butler
Age: 37
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Occupation: Interior designer
"Not far. Buses freak me out."
Name: Chris Beem
Age: 26
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Occupation: Pizza delivery
"All the way!"
Name: Jamie Sellick
Age: 31
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta, CAN
Occupation: Digital support
"That's how I got to a good rock show."
Bassist/vocalist Kamara Thomas rocks it "back and forth"
Vocalist/guitarist Matt Whyte
