Gentlemen Hall, an award-winning Boston-based band will be appearing at Papa Charlie’s in Lutsen on Saturday, December 17. The band has played venues such as The Roxy Theater and The Viper Room in Los Angeles, the House of Blues in Dallas, Cleveland and Chicago—and more. They are pictured above at the Billboard Music Awards. They played live at the awards ceremony in May 2011. Left: Jacob Schmidt AKA Jacob Michael or Cobi Mike is returning home to Lutsen with Gentlemen Hall.
Gentlemen Hall, an awardwinning Boston-based band, is wrapping up its national tour at Papa Charlie’s in Lutsen on Saturday, December 17. This may be the first appearance for Gentlemen Hall at Papa Charlie’s but it is a coming home for one of the band members—Jacob Schmidt AKA Jacob Michael or Cobi Mike.
Jacob grew up in Lutsen, attending Cook County schools until he entered the Perpich Center for Arts Education in his junior year. He graduated in 2004 and started college in the Cities while pursuing the musical career he started as a teenager in Cook County, playing with local musicians John Gruber and Rick Brandenburg in the Jacob Michael Blues Band. While taking classes at three different community colleges, he also found time to play with his brother, Josh Schmidt, another talented musician, in the band Vintage Mink. “We played all over Minneapolis for two years,” said Jacob.
After earning his general education credits he transferred to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating Suma Cum Laude in 2008. It was there that he met his current Gentlemen Hall band mates, all also graduates of Berklee College of Music. He first met fellow guitarist and vocalist Gavin McDevitt in an unusual way—McDevitt’s ex-girlfriend and Schmidt’s ex-girlfriend were friends. They introduced the musicians and unknowingly launched their careers as members of Gentlemen Hall.
McDevitt and Schmidt alternate vocals. “We mix it up a little,” said Jacob.
Other members of Gentlemen Hall are Brad Alderman, keyboards; Seth Hachen, flute; Rory Given, bass; and drummer Phil Boucher.
In addition to playing what has been described as electropop or synthpop, all of the band members are songwriters. Four members of the band share a house in Boston, while two others live just down the street, so there is constant music in their lives, whether they are on the road or at home. “Our studio is really every room in the house,” said Jacob.
Together, the band members have written “hundreds of songs,” said Schmidt and they put together an EP on their own. They gave that album away at performances, with great success, gaining a loyal following in Boston. In 2009, the Boston Phoenix named Gentlemen Hall “Boston’s Best New Band.”
As they wowed East Coast audiences, Gentlemen Hall’s McDevitt and Given, originally from Cleveland, talked to Michael Seifert, owner of the Cleveland Analog Arcade studio. After hearing their self-made EP, Seifert took Gentlemen Hall under his wing.
With his help, Gentlemen Hall had a professional recording to share, which led to an offer from Atlantic Records. The band passed on the offer because the contract had too many restrictions; however another offer soon followed, from Billboard Magazine. The band almost missed the invitation to appear in its Battle of the Bands in Las Vegas, because Jacob thought the first e-mail was a hoax. When a second e-mail came, Gentlemen Hall’s manager Denny Young checked it out and found that it was a legitimate invitation. “The next thing we knew, we were in Las Vegas, playing the MGM Grand Arena,” said Jacob.
Gentlemen Hall was one of six bands from across the United States. They won the competition and the opportunity to perform live at the Billboard Music Awards on ABC in May 2011.
After that they were back in the studio and this September, the band released a six-song EP titled When We All Disappear.
The Cook County News- Herald caught up with Jacob as he and his Gentlemen Hall band mates were preparing for a show at The Roxy Theater in West Hollywood on December 6. From Los Angeles, Gentlemen Hall will be traveling to shows in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit; and Minneapolis, finishing up the tour in Lutsen.
It’s a schedule that would wear many people out, but Jacob said, “You don’t get a lot of rest—but it’s energizing.”
Gentlemen Hall’s music itself is energizing. Asked to describe the band, Jacob said, “It has a lot of new sounds. It’s pop music with a twist. We use synthesizers, electric guitars to create a really big sound. We incorporate a flute with a lot of effects, with reverb.
“We focus on writing the best songs we can—songs that people want to sing along with, songs that strike into the heart of people’s emotions.”
Jacob is excited about finishing the tour in Minnesota. At the Minneapolis show, Jacob will be joining his brother, Josh Schmidt at 7th Street Entry/ First Avenue. Gentlemen Hall and Josh’s band Soul Tree will both be appearing, along with several other bands. The doors open at the famed Minneapolis venue at 8 p.m.
And he’s looking forward to returning to Papa Charlie’s, a smaller location than he has been playing in recently. “The big stage still feels a little foreign. I’ve been playing smaller clubs and bars my whole life. So, it will be nice to get back to Papa Charlie’s,” he said.
It’s a fitting place to end the Gentlemen Hall national tour. “It ends in Lutsen. The road takes me home,” said Jacob.
Gentlemen Hall
www.GentlemenHall.com
Saturday, Dec. 17 9:30 p.m.
Papa Charlie’s
Tickets – $10 advance/$14 door
Leave a Reply