Richmond, VA – On the night of December 20, 2018, I walked into the Canal Club with no clue what I was doing. As an aspiring photographer, trying to find my niche in the ‘light arts’, I had approached Nita Strauss to capture her performance. Despite my inexperience, Nita had graciously granted me access and I was ready to give it a shot. I arrived one band late and missed the first act. The second act was preparing to take the stage.
Thinking that I would only be capturing Nita, I was sitting at a table getting ready to simply listen to the next performer, The Emma Garell Band. The crowd was between me and the stage, so I did not really see the band come out. My focus quickly shifted from camera to the stage when my ears were greeted by the hard pounding vocals of Emma Garell. I approached the stage, camera in hand, working my way through the concert attendees and saw a small framed woman belting some of the hardest rock I had heard in ages. I raised my camera…. Click.
They say the first is always supposed to be special. That is why it is fitting that the release of The Emma Garell Band’s second single, “Crawl” is also my first release review. After watching the video for the first time, the word that comes to mind is, ‘WOW’. The only thing that outdoes the cinematography is Emma’s vocals, which pull you in. Filmed in a (creepy) barn on their property, “Crawl” seems to depict fighting demons, telling them to crawl back inside… when you watch the video, do you feel comfortable?
Emma’s rocking journey started young with School of Rock in Richmond, VA. Her first live performance was in front of an audience of 200, performing in a Black Sabbath Tribute show. After graduating from School of Rock, Emma fronted a cover band, but soon decided to break away and form her own band to develop her own sound.
Emma’s first single, “Destination Anaheim” was released earlier this year showcasing her hard rocking style. Both singles have a chaotic flare, but that is where the similarities end. Her first two singles demonstrate a range often attributed to musicians who have been around far longer than Emma.
What’s next for Emma? She is going places! To be the first to hear what’s ahead, follow her at the links below.
Check out Emma Garell’s second single, “Crawl”:
