Each generation brings about their own flair. You may have heard the terms Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, or maybe even Gen Alpha thrown about in the news and pop culture. Each refers to a specific time period that groups people together with shared experiences in history. A common thread that sews these varying patches of people together: music. Music begs, borrows, and steals from previous generations and pulls from the best to create updated melodies for new generations to belt out and enjoy. Music brings people together and nothing captivates audiences quite like seeing a band live.
The Gen Xers Band will bring their love of music to the West Side Theatre on Feb. 1. The group consists of real Gen X musicians: RJ Hammond (lead singer, frontman, guitar, and keyboard), Matt Diggs (lead guitar and harmonies), Dave Garrity (bass and vocals), and Brian Daniels (“throne master” on the drums).
“We lived during the time of metal playgrounds, hose water, and staying out until the lights came on,” Hammond said in jest. “We all come from a love of music from our time growing up and have collectively played over 7,000 shows with different bands over the years. We’ve played at places such as the Opera House Saloon in Roseville, Painkillers Pub in Rocklin, various casinos, festivals such as the Garlic Festival and Lincoln Rib Fest, and small theater shows,” Hammond stated. “We are excited to bring our show to the West Side Theater. We have heard nothing but great things about the crowds out in Newman from other groups we see on our circuit who have played there like Cougar Adams and Journey Revisited.”
The Gen Xers have played in tribute bands that feature 80s, 90s, and early 2000s music. “I had an idea about creating a group of us from other bands to play a collection of music we all enjoy. I knew these guys from other groups and when we first played together as this blended group it just flowed so well and we ripped through about 30 acoustic songs and knew that we had to share this fun with others,” Hammond shared. Thus, The Gen Xers Band was born.
“We want our audience to have those ‘Oh Man! I remember this song!’ moments of nostalgia that bring them back to that time of their life,” Hammond said. With today’s generation of youths rediscovering things like vinyl and cassette tapes, there’s a resurgence of music appreciation across generations. “My grandson loves playing cassette tapes and going through my collection. I showed him my first vinyl record I ever purchased and told him I vividly remember the day I got it. Can today’s generation remember their first song they downloaded? It’s a different connection with music now than it was when I was growing up.”
The Gen Xers Band hopes to bridge those generational gaps. “It should feel like a jukebox is playing live with all the best booty-shaking songs that get people having a great time.” The sets are formatted to flow with groupings of similar vibes together as a sort of music puzzle. Expect to hear The Eagles, Journey, Nirvana, Devo, David Bowie, The Beastie Boys, Joan Jett, The Clash, Tom Petty - among many others to bring the nostalgia of great music. “There really is something for everyone. We don’t discriminate - all generations are welcome to come and have a great time.” Hammond notes that crowds sometimes come dressed in their favorite 80s and 90s gear and lean into the full nostalgia experience. “We are dressed in our authentic gear down to our Devo hats and Vans, our audience should feel welcome to do the same and come rock out with us,” Hammond encouraged.
You can catch The Gen Xers Band at the West Side Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $25 for reserved seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance at westsidetheatre.org. The West Side Theatre is a cash only facility.
