Stories Behind The Songs: At Black Volt Amplification
Black Volt Amplification is the place to be if you are into songwriting and the stories behind the songs. This intimate series kicked off this past Saturday at an industrial area in Los Angeles that is home to the fabrication of amplifiers that are equally pieces of art and great sound to match. The building is a former market, complete with walk-in cooler, stamped tin ceilings, and beautiful old brick walls. The series is the brain-child of Tawny Ellis and Gio Loria. Gio inherited his love of electronics from his father and has mentored under David Riddle, who is renowned in electrical restoration and calibration. The amps are constructed using reclaimed wood. There is just something about the old wood that helps to create a better sound. Black Volt Amps are used by Slash and Lord Huron, to name a few. They make a fine addition to any guitarist’s equipment and are also beautiful pieces of artwork.
The show on Saturday consisted of four songwriters who talked about their craft, inspirations, and process in creating their songs. Charlie Overbey, Manda Mosher, Tawny Ellis, and The Mastersons were the inaugural series lineup. The first segment of the show was spent with the artists asking each other questions about inspiration, influences, and each other’s songwriting process. It was interesting to hear the artists answer questions that exposed them vulnerably and intimately. Charlie asked The Mastersons how their process works when they spend so much time together. They are married, perform as members of Steve Earle’s band, as well as do their own songwriting and creating music as a duo. Chris Masterson responded by saying they take time to spend away from each other; especially while touring on the road with Steve Earle.
The second part of the show consisted of all four artists performing brand new songs from upcoming albums. Leading off was Charlie Overbey. Charlie came up through the Los Angeles punk and rock scenes and currently fronts his band, Charlie Overbey and the Broken Arrows. He offered two songs from his upcoming album, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, that is due to release in early 2020. The first was “Oak and the Owl” and the second was a very personal song entitled, “Dear Daughter.” Both songs were heartfelt and emotional and came from a special place within Charlie.
Charlie Overbey | All Photos Courtesy of Deb Morrison-Littell
Next up was Manda Mosher. She attended Berklee College of Music and has been a part of the Los Angeles music scene for a while. Manda talked about how her father restored vintage cars and that those cars are an important part of her life. Her first song was “Evel Knievel,” and you can hear one of her biggest influences, Tom Petty, in this song. She followed that song up with “Ghost Town.” The song is about taking responsibility for letting go of a relationship and by doing so, realizing the damage she had caused and the ensuing loneliness; leaving her as the king of her own ghost town.
Manda Mosher | Courtesy of Deb Morrison-Littell
Tawny Ellis performed next with a couple of songs from her upcoming Love Life album. Gio Loria joined in on the 12-string. Tawny started out by performing “Moonshine” and played the Omnichord to accompany Gio’s guitar work. “Moonshine” is a song about surrendering to the great unknown - trusting the universe at large. The second song was the title track from the album that is due out in the spring of 2020.
Tawny Ellis | Courtesy of Deb Morrison-Littell
The Mastersons were up next and performed a couple of songs from their upcoming album in 2020. This duo are masters of the craft. Chris Masterson is brilliant on guitar and Eleanor Whitmore is equal at playing the violin. Their first song, “Silver Lining,” was a song they had finished a while ago, but not yet released. Eleanor realized it would be a great fit for their upcoming album, “No Time for Love Songs.”
The Mastersons | Courtesy of Deb Morrison-Littell
All four acts joined in on the finale that included three songs by a few legends. First up was Bob Dylan’s, “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere,” followed by the Mamas and the Papas’, “California Dreamin’,” and finishing out the evening with the Beatles’, “Don’t Let Me Down.”
Gio and Tawny plan on hosting a regular series based on this format. More details to follow once the schedule has been set. I highly recommend checking out the Black Volt Amplification showroom at 501 Echandia Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033, 213-840-7364. www.blackvoltamplification.com
Charlie Overbey:
charlieoverbey.com/Charlie_Overbey.html
Manda Mosher:
Tawny Ellis:
The Mastersons:
Photography by Deb Morrison-Littell: