Get down! Atlas is a funkified party with nine pieces. But who’s counting? The
band’s been rockin’ central and western New York for 25 years. But who’s counting? Friday, April 7, the
horn-driven powerhouses played Montage to an enthusiastically crowded dance
floor. It was the band’s 2000th show. That’s right, their 2000th show. But who’s counting?
John Kowalczyk has been fronting and playing trumpet in Atlas
since its inception in 1981 at SyracuseUniversity. And he’s been counting.
“I approximated,” he
admits. “I figure it’s 2000 plus or minus 15 or 20.”
Where a lot of bands
barely last a year before imploding thanks to a cocktail of booze, drugs,
girlfriends, and egos, Atlas remains. Granted it’s had approximately 60 to 70
players in and out of its ranks over the years. But again, who’s counting?
When Atlas was born,
the brassy, ballsy blast the band gave off on stage was blasting out of radios
as well.
“Back then there was
still a lotta funky stuff in the Top 40,” Kowalczyk says. “It was post-disco, but there was still a lotta funky stuff. Earth, Wind, and Fire was
huge.”
The band was
originally known as The Atlas Linen Company because, well, that’s what it said
on the side of their truck. Naming a band is cheaper than re-painting a truck.
“The keyboard player
worked at The Atlas Linen Company, an industrial laundry place,” Kowalczyk says. “The first truck we had actually had the
ALC logo on it. So we took over the name.” The band played SU parties,
graduating to the club gigs, weddings, and corporate events they still do
today.
The majority of
Atlas’ live output is horn-centric covers. This wasn’t always the case.
“We were doing a lot
of originals in the beginning,” he says. “But it was kind of a struggle to get
our own sound back then. People were dancing and partying to the stuff they
knew a lot better. So we kinda veered towards that.”
Atlas still peppers
in a few slick originals in its live sets. Regardless, the band’s energy and
charm is undeniable. The whiplash-inducing grooves are played by a band that
comes off casual and cool while the folks dancing mere feet away are bathed in
sweat. Perhaps 2000 stabs at it helps.
“We like keeping it a
little loose,” he says.
Atlas flies anywhere
for corporate gigs and tears up the road on what Kowalczyk
calls “The New York State Thruway Tour.” This circuit routinely takes them to
the city lights of Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Ithaca, Watertown, and Geneva and oughta keep ’em busy for at least another 2000 gigs.
Kowalczyk laughs loudly.
“Maybe 1500,” he
says.
Catch Atlas on their
2000 and somethingth gig Friday, May 5, at Montage, 50 Chestnut Street, 232-1520, at 9:30 p.m. $5. 21+. www.atlasband.com
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 2, 2006.
