Hot Water Music front man Chuck Ragan puts one an endearing and intimate live acoustic and folk-punk performance as a side project from his regular gig, although lately he has put more focus into the side project than Hot Water Music. He has gone from headlining gritty punk rock shows to headlining his own form of laid back punk influenced acoustic tunes.
I saw Chuck play at The Old Rock House back in April of 2013. The venue is relatively small, with some seating in the back. I was able to get right up next to the stage, just feet from the band, and got to feel all of the emotion put forth through songs like "Glory" and "The Trench".
These shows have been a far cry from the norm that is Hot Water Music, and is much more tame, showing that Chuck Ragan can break the barriers of hardcore and melodic punk and enter a quieter and more relaxed realm, but his music is still full of the passion and fury of a punk rock legend in the making.
The relatively new style that Chuck Ragan has adopted has been gaining popularity over the last few years, and I would expect him to continue releasing albums (like 2014's 'Till Midnight') for a long time to come.
Check him out, for sure, next time he comes rambling through your city -- you won't regret it.
Stephen Mcbean
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