By Alexandra Batson
Western Herald
The Ultraviolet Hippopotamus will be performing at Bell’s Eccentric Café and Brewery tonight, Nov. 5.
The UV Hippo returned to their hometown of Grand Rapids on Sept. 30 after a successful tour in Colorado, and is now at the start of their Michigan tour.
The UV Hippo is a six-piece jam rock band with a rapid growing fan base all over the Midwest and Colorado, along with thousands of online fans nationwide.
The band performs an eclectic array of original material from genres like funk, jazz, electronica, and reggae to bluegrass and progressive rock.
The band includes Joe Phillion on drums, Casey Jones on percussion, Sam Guidry on guitar, Brian Samuels on bass, Dave Sanders on keyboard, and Russel James on both vocals and guitar.
They have been together for about a year and a half and have played with bands such as Eoto, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and Umphrey’s McGee.
According to Guidry, the band’s inspiration “comes from the crowd and knowing that making music is what we love but it’s also our job.”
They have a lot of fun during these tours and shows but also, with a little push from Russ who, according to Phillion, “is like our dad,” get the work done on time.
Kalamazoo is always an important stop to the band.
“It feels like home. We always have a great time in Kalamazoo and we always walk away with a smile,” James said.
Although there are always doubts to overcome, such as expenses, the UV Hippo isn’t letting anything get in the way of their goal of making a self-sustaining spread out of the Midwest. They won’t stop until their fan base is national.
The UV Hippo is also all about going green, but is also committed to touring whenever and wherever they can.
To make these two passions a goal that can stand hand-in-hand, they are investing in a used diesel shuttle bus and converting the bus to run on vegetable oil.
Rather than spending thousands on gasoline the “Hippopota-bus” will be running on the discarded oil from fast food joints.
This goal will help save money for tour costs, and will also allow the band to to do its part in reducing carbon emissions and the dependence on foreign oil.
Installation for a diesel conversion can be expensive so the band is starting to promote their cause and raise funds.
At shows there will be a new line of organic clothing at the merchandise table for which all profit will go to the conversion of the bus, along with a donation jar, a limited addition poster and other “Help Hippo Go Green” merchandise available to help out with the cause.
The earth-friendly, heavy jammers’ Kalamazoo show is tonight, Nov. 5, at 9 p.m.
The show is 21 and up, and has a $7 cover charge.
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