McIntosh grads and their band play first show in PTC since high school

It has been a while since Mcintosh High School graduates Aaron Beavers and Damon Allen, members of the band shurman, performed music in Peachtree City.

“I think the last concert we played was at a canned food drive at the school,” said Beavers. “Maybe it was at a party at someone’s house.”

The wait will be over next week, when Beavers and Allen bring their band, shurman, to The Red Room, Thursday, Oct. 5. The band, which found success with their first album, Jubilee, and touring nearly non-stop around the country, recently released a live album and has toured their way from Los Angeles to Nashville, Tenn. for a music conference and to record a new album at the legendary 16 Tons Studios.

Beavers, the lead singer for shurman, was very excited to get into the studio and record the new material.

“It’s a more personal album,” said Beavers, who feels he has grown as a lyric writer. One song, “Here’s to Rock ‘N Roll,” is about the soldiers fighting overseas, while “Small Town Tragedy” is about the crazy lives of the people that the band grew up with.

“There are no wasted words this time,” Beavers added. He also stated that while the lyrics may be more serious, the band is rocking. “There is just so much energy around this music and we are determined to make a record that sounds like the ones we grew up with.”

To that end, shurman is planning on using older equipment and will be singing live to tape. They are also working with some of the most gifted session players in music, people who have worked with The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley.

“These people are the best at what they do and we really rise to the occasion when we get a chance to work with them.”

Though shurman has been classified as country by some in the industry, fans of all types of music have found them. The group has opened shows for Blues Traveler and Ted Nugent, but they have also found that they have become headliners in their own right in several cities. The band enjoys the fact that they continue to win fans with their high-energy shows. They also win fans from some of the bands they meet on the road.

“It was just so surreal to watch ‘The Tonight Show’ and see Blues Traveler’s drummer wearing a shurman t-shirt,” Beavers said.

Experiences like that continue to make shurman’s musical career incredibly fun for Beavers and the boys and what makes it more satisfying, according to Beavers, is knowing that they have worked hard and earned it.

“We’ve really come into our own and are playing the best we’ve ever played right now,” stated Beavers, who is eager to show family and friends, who haven’t had a chance to see the band yet, just what they can do. Both Beavers and Allen are also looking forward to returning to their old stomping grounds.

“The first place to go will be Partners II Pizza,” said Beavers, who worked at the restaurant with Allen. “I think I need to tell them I was sorry about the way I quit.” In addition to stopping in for a slice, Beavers said hanging out with family members will obviously be on the agenda, as will rides on the golf cart paths around the lake.

“We are just so thankful and are just making the most of this opportunity,” said Beavers, adding that it was great to hear from so many people rooting for them. “We’ve grown from teenage punks to musicians and are so excited to get home and play.”

shurman will play The Red Room at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10. Singer/songwriter Andy Hersey will open the show. Visit www.shurmanville.com for more information on the band.

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