I met up with the Benjy Davis project on Friday afternoon for some impromptu portraits at the Southgate House in Newport, KY. We found some cool spots at Southgate and setup some shots using two speedlights to create some mood and textures in the photos. The band was great to work with during the session and we got some col shots for them to use on their website and promotional materials.

Before their performance, I sat down for a light-hearted interview with the Benjy Davis Project band members and their tour manager Chardy McEwan, a Cincinnati local.

After an initial debate after comparing bathroom stall writings, we determined that girls are much dirtier than boys. Needless to say, this band made me smile throughout the interview, impromptu photo shoot and the concert.

Benjy Davis and band members Mic Capdevielle (drums), Jonathan Lawhun (guitar), and Matt Rusnak ( bass) are a Baton Rouge based group. The bands latest album, Dust, is full of hits with songs like “I Love You” and my personal favorite, “The Rain.” The band talked about their favorite tracks from the album. Jonathan spoke about “Good Enough” being particularly special for him since it was the last song his grandfather heard before he passed away. He sums it up by saying, “You can just feel it.”

I asked the band about musical influences and Benjy talked about a unique combination of Motown, Mariah Carey, and Tim McGraw. The Tim McGraw influence can be heard on the track “Sweet Southern Moon.” When asked what they were listening to these days, they spoke of Jack White’s new band The Raconteurs, Norway-based MADCON and singer songwriter Regina Spektor.

The band talked about a typical day on the road. Wake up, drive 4-10 hours, wait, setup, wait, play, and teardown with drinking throughout the process. We discussed their writing process, Davis says he jots down small hooks and then mixes and matches the lyrics to compose the songs.

You can check out the band online at http://www.bdpmusic.com/ or buy their phenomenal album Dust available online. I’ve been listening all week in the car and it provides the perfect soundtrack for summertime. They are currently touring the US with Tony Lucca.

Check out my photos of the band on CityBeat.com http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7737