Downs Unplugged Coffeehouse
August 8, 2009, 7:30 P.M.  

Saturday, August 8, 2009, the Downs Unplugged Coffeehouse will feature the group “By the Grace of God”.  This group is made up of Levi Sprick (bass, mandolin, vocals) Jana Eakin (vocals), Luke Sprick (drums, back-up vocals), Tristen Long (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Andrew Gasper (Lead Guitar). 

Osborne’s Faith Lutheran Church had gone without a pastor for quite some time.  Finally after years of waiting, they came across Pastor Dennis Klinker and his wife Cheryll of Alliance, Nebraske.  Three young men of the church, Levi and Luke Sprick and Tristen Long, made fast friends with Dennis and his wife.  The boys all had extraordinary musical talents, and being musicians themselves, the Klinkers graciously let them use their musical equipment.  Thus, By the Grace of God was born.

Luke played percussion; Levi played bass and mandolin; and Tristen played guitar.  The Band tried playing a few songs here and there…but they knew something was missing…Levi’s idea was to sing in a girly, high falsetto voice for back-up vocals with Tristen; that didn’t work so well.  Luke’s idea was to recruit a singer.  His first thought was Jana Eakin.  Jana used to sing the poplar group “Eternity Focus” when they were the Daughters of Faith.  When the first rehearsal came around with Jana; she and her voice were a perfect match for the band.  She is now the heart and soul of the band.

They first played some songs on a Sunday during Church.  However, after the first “official” gig for the community, they knew something important was still missing. Even with an awesome new singer, they still sounded incomplete. Levi suggested a rhythm guitarist, and Tristen placed an ad on the computer.  Shortly after, Andrew Gasper of Tipton was looking for a new guitar, and just happened across the ad.  He didn’t hesitate to respond, and worked out nicely as part of the group.  During the first rehearsal with Andrew, he belted out a furious twenty minute solo on a song he’d never heard before!  So Andrew took the lead and Tristen backed down to rhythm so he could focus on vocal duets with Jana.

Finally, the band is complete.  They have Tristen, playing guitar, singing, and always reminding them what they are there for.  Luke is always smiling, and keeps a steady beat for the band to follow.  Levi is the ripping bassist with a great respect for the nearly forgotten classic bands.  Jana sing’s angelic songs on lead vocals.  Finally, Andrew dishes out fantastic, never ending guitar solos.  All together, the band is pumped and ready for any gig, no mater how big or small.

Not only do they do Christian music, but they have covered a few classic rock bands like Cream, Norman Greenbaum, and Led Zeppelin, in which Levi willingly took over the lead vocasl.  They even threw in a little Iron Butterfly!  Their popularity has grown in the past couple months, they have done a few public gigs, and now have a small fan-base in Osborne county and beyond.  They even have a manager (Logan Pletcher) and a publicist (Matt Brown).

They like to use a variety of instruments when they perform.  Tristen’s guitar of choice are a pretty little worn red Gibson SG and a shiny “Tutti-Frutti” Fender Stratocaster copy.  Sometimes he uses Matt Brown’s black Ibanez acoustic-electric guitar on quieter songs.  Levi’s “weapons” of choice include a sunburst Hofner viola bass (Paul McCartney played one like this for the Beatles), a vintage Harmony jazz bass, and a Santini A-style mandolin.  Andrew’s guitars of choice include the beautiful Michael Kelly Vex Exotic X, a Carvin acoustic-electric, and his first guitar, an Ibanez GRX40 guitar. Luke keeps the band rockin’ on a trap set, and band recently purchased an awesome conga drum for him to play.

The band enjoys a variety of music styles from Christian to rock and blues, some metal and even Celtic music!  They all hold very high hopes for the future, and look forward to playing for the public.  Next stop: Downs Unplugged Coffeehouse.

The Downs Unplugged Coffeehouse will be held at the Downs Memorial Hall on Saturday, August 8 starting at 7:30 p.m. the concert will be free of charge, however donations will be accepted.  Desserts will be available during the evening provided by the Lakeside Cheerleaders.