In the Summer of 2012 veterans to the Ohio music scene John Mullins, Cliff Starbuck and Steve Frye, all founding members of ekoostik hookah, decided to join together to form the musical act BigEaR. Rounding out the line-up are Nate Hollman and Ian Carrol from the John Mullins Band.
When BigEaR began playing its first round of gigs in October 2012, the band knew this was the mix they needed to rock the house and reenergize Ohio music-lovers . With both new and familiar tunes, the band stresses the importance of both the song and the lyric and they know that stressing this technique will produce a great song as a result. They are all showmen in their own right and while the music can be hard to describe, hard to pigeonhole and hard not to love, John Mullins describes it as "BigEaR brings its psyfolkadelic-rock rhythm & blues, funk on a good day, to wishy-washy jazz on a bad day." They rock clubs and festival audiences in the region to the core and the band gives you a new perspective on an original Midwest act rising from the roots of Ohio's' "magical musical scene."
BigEaR gets its creative fuel from its members having spent the majority of their lives performing and touring the US and from their everyday pursuits in live as they make this musical journey. They have a keen sense of how to groove with the flow of the audience in an exchange that is as moving as it is colorful and dynamic.
Recently, BigEaR was listed as "Band of The Month" in the April edition of Buckeye Music Magazine. Their review of the band contained the following critique: "they know a thing or two about getting a crowd energized to move their feet. Mullins and Starbuck are the ultimate showmen and they are capable of creating an atmosphere that audiences flock to. Mullins fans might recognize the name Ian Carroll and Nate Hollman; Carroll and Hollman have collaborated before in the John Mullins Band so these guys are comfortable with each other on and off the stage. One of the most impressive aspects of the band is their versatility; try putting a label on BigEaR, I dare you. The band combines Psychedelic, Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Funk, Folk, Americana, and Jazz for a sound that defies genres and is sure to satisfy your musical taste buds whatever they crave."
BigEaR tours the US and is currently working on their first album. They encourage live taping at their shows and enjoy socializing with the fans and bringing the party. So, get your dancin' shoes on, grab a friend, become an earbud and encounter the WOW factor.
