Take a kid who at age 12 could play Stevie Ray Vaughan like it's nothing:
Let him stew in a band for the past three years. And you have Dalton Dunn of The Blue Threads. Kind of mash the power of Hendrix, SRV, Iggy Pop, Ramones, bit of funk, a dash of blues, and a hint of punk. Honestly it's a lot of what your top 40 rock stations are missing, good ol' high powered rock and roll! Even if they weren't friends of mine, I'd still be highly impress at what they can do. Solid, powerful sound with out being over the top or too congested. Dalton is beyond a talented guitarist, especially at a young age. Manages a clean sound that's always moving, always grooving, with a few licks thrown in here and there for good measure. And when he erupts into a solo, he goes.
(3:10 here, but a good bluesy song of their 1st CD)
Last Friday was the most fun I've had a concert ever. The opening bands were top notch (Radio Ark is another to check out, great if you dig 80s metal guitar) but this was their strongest I've ever been to. They're forging they're own sound and played all original stuff. Crowd was stupid fun (most of the other bands came front stage to rock out too), and you can't beat a guitarist that will start a solo, and then jump into a mosh while still ripping it out. In fact, there's a lot he can do with a guitar that I can't say here
A friend of mine brought some friends from his college and, and they were left with this "I've payed upwards of $80 for concert tickets and this is still better than anything I've been to. Including Vai, Lamb of God, Dream Theater..."
www.myspace.com/thebluethreads <- Leaves off some of their strongest songs, but I'll see what I can do to upload one of my favorites.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bluethreads2 <- Album review, track preview
Another good show case of guitar work, a cover of "rock me baby"
These videos are fairly old, showing off much of their older sound and the band as a whole have massively improved. Some time I'll remember to get a video camera to their show. Words can't accurately describe how things are live. Another band like above, does this for the **** love of it, and continue to impress local Houston legends and others alike.