Awesome Incorporated is a party band comprised of four guys who made it through the 80s and lived to tell about it. Since that harrowing experience they have sought solace through music, investing their energies in a variety of roots-music styles, including rhythm & blues, rock & roll, jazz and Latin.
Now, after years of running from the 80s and the songs of their formative years, these brave souls have decided to face their demons head-on. To do so, they have come together to perform the best of 80s music through a roots-rock filter. Why a roots-rock filter? Because, just as they can no longer hide from the music of their teens they can’t deny who they have become in the ensuing years.
This makes for a vibrant musical mix, breathing new life into tunes that – in their original form – often sound dated to modern ears. In the hands of Awesome Incorporated, “867-5309” has never sounded more urgent and “Who Can It Be Now” has never sounded rawer. The group also performs some unexpected songs, such as Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time.” These songs take on new meanings when performed by a man, yet they remain as danceable as ever.
Although the group focuses on the music of the 80s, Awesome Incorporated performs a variety of popular music selections from the 1940s to the present to appeal to all party goers. The only thing they don’t do is the cheese factor. The band members all agree: there are enough “Wedding Singer” bands out there. They don’t compromise the integrity of the music, instead approaching each performance with excitement. If you want a band that will perform with genuine enthusiasm, then this is the band for you.
The players themselves are all accomplished musical veterans, having won awards, performed with major acts, and toured extensively. So, as the band’s name indicates, you get an awesome musical unit.
Singer and guitarist Andy Sullivan has entertained audiences across the United States and Canada. His song "The Internet is Changing Everything" garnered airplay on CNBC and American Public Media's "Marketplace" and was praised by The Onion as "probably the only song ever written about the raw animal sexuality of former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, and certainly the catchiest." He is currently completing a rock opera about Jack Abramoff.
Saxophonist Chris Watling has played up and down the east coast and in notable venues such as Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center with DC roots-rock stalwarts The Grandsons. Over his 23-years on the scene, Chris has amassed a fistful of awards for his instrumental and compositional prowess including the ASCAP Composer’s Award. He has worked with a long list of R&B titans that includes Ben E. King, Lloyd Price, the Spinners and Carla Thomas, as well as local favorites Last Train Home, Big Joe & The Dynaflows and Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans.
Bassist Jeff Muller has performed jazz, blues, rock, reggae and more at festivals, concert halls and clubs throughout the United States and in Europe. In his more than two decades of musical performance - including a stint in the vibrant New Orleans music scene of the 90s – he has backed up nationally-recognized acts such as Eva Cassidy, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint and Grammy award-winner Cyril Neville, plus more than sixty local and regional acts including Nadine Rae & the All Stars, Junior Cline & the Recliners, and Tommy Lepson.
Drummer Matt Tebo is a 20 year veteran of the San Francisco and D.C. music scenes playing styles ranging from jazz and funk to bossa nova and rock. He has performed with national acts such as Mike Mills from REM, New Orleans legend Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, and Bird York (Oscar Nominee for Best Song), as well as numerous local artists such as Karl Straub, Little Pink, Kevin Cordt and Peter Fraize.
To hear a demo of the band's music - just the way you'll hear it in live performance without any studio trickery - go to the Music page. To see a picture of the band, go to the Photo Gallery.