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  WILD REPORT: LIT STICK OF SMOKIN DYNAMITE May 20th, 2008 Posted by Hunter Wilson

  Chris Sullivan is a man who knows what it takes to establish greatness. All these years, he has never been afraid to work hard and go after it. From the very first time I saw him, Chris made a true believer out of me. I knew instantly he was destined for success. “One artist in particular brings up the end, with class. That would be the lit stick of smokin" dynamite you experience in Front man and Guitarist Chris Sullivan, whose raw magnetism and smooth vocals have the audience practically on their knees, at his feet.” “And to think…It all started with a KISS t-shirt, a few chords and the truth…..” As you read the quotes above, you"re given a piece of “wylder history”..words I wrote about Chris Sullivan in what seems a lifetime ago. Chris was my very first (musician) friend here when I hit the Charleston Rock scene…as I said, many many moons ago. At the time, I was writing music reviews for a Country radio station and while my heart is with the genre, something inside me was longing to rock. I sat at the bar when this intimidating leather-vested, tattooed gent approached and complimented me on my KISS t-shirt. I have to laugh now as I reflect on how menacing I thought he looked. When he took the stage all of that “bad boy image” melted away and the lights shone on a man who had pure, raw, flat-out talent. The whole band did—-I absolutely loved them and we so we began to work together. Time often has a way of separating friends. People get busy. Days and years fly by. Though I haven"t gone to support him in way too long, I"ve been there in spirit. You see, I may slack off but I never forget a person who has touched my life. Especially musically. So this article has been a long, long time coming. Chris Sullivan shed that bad boy image (somewhat) and struck out on his own as a solo act, performing his Rock and Americana original music all over town several nights a week. He traded that mic he once chipped a tooth on (while throwing it all around the rockin" stage).....for a stool and a much more elegant setting…one that is more befitting of him. He is a singer-songwriter who knows all about class. Tonight at the Palmetto Acoustic series he proved that again. His dedicated friend/manager Angie and I took our places in the front row and I tried not to focus on that psychedelic backdrop. It was making me dizzy and if I looked at it too long, I may have gotten hypnotized. But what was truly hypnotic is the fact that after all this time, Chris Sullivan has still “got it”...exactly what it takes. What makes the acoustic series really unique is the way we, the audience, get to see a more personal side to the music. The songwriter tells his or her story of what led to each song. Chris says most of his songs are about relationships…failed ones mostly, he jokes. He says, “I guess that is why we are musicians. We get to get up here and cry and moan about it”..and everyone laughed. But to me, after the many showcases I have seen like this one, I don"t see a whole lot of crying"What I see is what is in the writer’s heart and how it touches people. The three performers treated us to lyrically driven music that was from the heart. Chris opened up the night with an old favorite “Unaware”. I, myself, a usually pretty tough cookie, was reduced to tears TWICE during Sullivan"s set. The first time was when he did “Girl Without a Name”. This is a song written about a small town girl who gets lost in the big city…Truly lost in every sense. New in town, she feels as if she is a “walking ghost…just a face in the crowd…with nothing cool to say….” Any one of us, ever new to town could relate to that tune for sure. The most moving part of the night came later, however. “Coat Pocket” is a song written for his son when he was around six years of age. (His son is now age 20 and serving our country in Korea). The proud father would carry the picture in his coat pocket…right next to his heart. Sullivan explains the song is about memories of people who are not physically there with you. His music gave me some time with my own grown child who is far away now…and yeah, I cried. He continued to remark how nice it was to be in this unique setting—where he is used to smoky bars, this time he had a truly “captive” audience. With his new EP “Devil"s Advocate” due out soon, Chris Sullivan fans will be anything but “captive”. He let the folks in the room preview just one song off the album. They really enjoyed it. He said that “Ride” would show his Springsteen influence. But to this writer, I heard only Pure Sullivan. He said a lot of his songs are about running away….but ya know what I think" I think they are more about running TO something: Running to something that is bigger then his wildest dream. Good luck, old friend! This is Jaden Wylder and THAT"s your Wild Report for what"s cool in the Carolina Nightlife! For more info, please visit www.youngsullivan.com Jaden would LOVE to hear from you!

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  Hunter Wilson

  Owner, CarolinaNightlife.com1 Posts

  Charles is the Executive Director of Carolina Nightlife and very involved in the nightlife industry in NC and SC. He has been working with venues of all sizes, different brands and products, and countless events across NC and SC for over 8 years.