Published Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008, in The Davis Enterprise
Photo by Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise Photos
Cold Shot, the appropriately dubbed "ultimate party band," has survived three decades in Davis.
The group - which has become known for a diverse mix of retro and modern pop, rock and R&B dance hits - consists of founding member Richard Urbino (bass, musical director), René Martucci (guitar) and Tim "T-Bone" Wilbur (acoustic and electronic drums). All three also handle vocals, and they cite a computer sequencer named "Sir Roland" as a fourth member (piano, organ, saxophones, trumpets, congas, percussion and more).
A typical band residency might last three years at most, but this isn't your typical band. For openers, Cold Shot has played at Froggy's (726 Second St.) every Wednesday night for the last decade (10 p.m., 21 and over, no cover).
Impressively, the band gained its success almost entirely through word of mouth.
"When we started, we played for three guys at the bar, trying to keep them from leaving," Martucci recalled, during a recent phone chat. "Then, slowly, people started hearing about us and came to our shows."
Cold Shot has an unusual connection with Davis' Second Street. In 1975, the band - then Richard Urbino and Kim Lenz - played at the Antique Bizarre, in the building where Pasta Q currently resides. Since then, Cold Shot has played multiple shows at other Second Street venues: The Brewery, Mansion Square, Sudwerk, The Paragon and Froggy's.
The band has gained a loyal following during its 10 years at Froggy's.
"We have this connection with the fans," Urbino acknowledged. "These people, who we knew when they were students, come back and ask us to play at their weddings."
Cold Shot plays an average of three weddings each year.
Martucci once was a fan herself. In the 1980s, she'd watch Cold Shot play every Wednesday night at The Brewery, and dream about being in the band. Now, she's living her dream, rocking out on lead guitar and vocals.
Urbino and Martucci are a couple, which works in the band's favor.
"It works out great," Martucci said. "We both love music. We have lots of material, because we're always ready to work on new songs and are ready to perform."
Close relationships are important to Cold Shot.
"We see it as a family," Martucci said, "and T-Bone fits right into that. I feel like he's always been a part of Cold Shot. He's really in tune with what the band is all about."
Wilbur, alas, was unable to participate in our initial interview, but he subsequently corresponded via e-mail. He shares similar sentiments about the band: "Playing with René and Richard for almost seven years has refined me as a drummer, singer and entertainer."
He feels privileged to work with them and is "constantly blown away by the quality and professionalism of their performances."
Wilbur said his primary role in the band is to "lock up with Sir Roland and lay down drum tracks that serve the songs. Beyond that, I try to deliver the energy and vibe of live drumming, and the visual impact of live performing. As a singer, I strive to get the song across as honestly as possible."
Until recently, Urbino, Martucci and Wilbur performed as a trio at Pasta Q every Friday. Wilbur doesn't play the Wednesday night shows at Froggy's.
Whether a duo or trio, the band primarily plays covers, all learned by ear.
So ... how many songs do they know?
"Millions," Urbino estimated.
"We don't even know," Martucci added, with a bit more restraint. "We just keep adding to them every week. We're always working on stuff."
"Before, it was based on memory," Urbino said, "but now we have all these files. We'll work on a song, and we might not play it, but it's there and ready to use."
While Cold Shot is known as a cover band, it has an album of original songs that can be unleashed if the situation applies.
"If the venue allows us to take an abrupt left turn," Urbino explained, "we'll take a left turn. If it doesn't need that, we'll do what's appropriate for the venue."
"We have a bunch of other stuff we haven't put out, that's just waiting," Martucci said. "At places like Froggy's, we have a built-in audience, and we can throw in our own songs."
Do they work from a predetermined set list?
"Sometimes," Urbino said. "Sometimes we just wing it."
And while audiences like to shout out requests, Urbino admitted that, "We won't follow them."
He and Martucci laughed. "We're not a jukebox," Martucci said. "They don't ask for a song and get it.
"But every once in awhile they'll shout out a request, and the next song just happens to be that."
Having spent years playing in bars to inebriated audiences, Cold Shot is accustomed to hecklers. While most bands would get worn down by it, these folks take a different approach.
"We're good at heckling the audience," Martucci chuckled.
Cold Shot caters to a vast number of venues and audiences, from the Martinez Yacht Club to dive bars. So what's their favorite place to play?
The answer is simultaneous: "Davis!"
They even consider Froggy's Wednesday night crowd as an extended family.
"We had a show in San Francisco recently, which had all these people who used to go to Davis," Martucci said.
"The club was on Broadway" Urbino continued, "and we said, 'How're all the people from Davis?,' and they all cheered. It was weird!"
Cold Shot remains current by playing the latest pop hits. (Check out the band's rendition of No Doubt's "Hella Good" at http://www.coldshotnow.com.) While some fans enjoy newer songs, most like music from the 1980s.
"Some are even wackier than that," Urbino said. "A favorite song on Wednesday night is 'Sweet Caroline.' Urbino admits he's not the world's biggest Neil Diamond fan, "but we tried it, and they went nuts!"
Another popular song is an obscure Texas Tornado tune called "Guacamole."
"It became this big thing at Froggy's," Martucci said. "Nobody knew how to dance to it, so the audience made up this dance. When we played in San Francisco the other night, a girl asked us to play it."
Martucci laughed. "Something like 'Guacamole' ... there's no movie, nobody saw how to dance to it, they just made it up. Sometimes when we play Froggy's, I wonder ... are we entertaining them, or are they entertaining us?"
Cold Shot currently is working on a CD of cover songs for its fans.
"A lot of people grow accustomed to our versions," Martucci said. "They hear the original and say they like ours better."
Having been in the Davis music scene for so long, Cold Shot has seen changes over the years.
"When I joined in '85, there weren't too many venues," Martucci said. "We started as an acoustic group and played at the Blue Mango and Mansion Square. Now there are a lot of places. The G Street Pub and Delta of Venus always have been dedicated to having live bands."
"Both places we haven't played," Urbino quipped.
"We have," Martucci countered. "We played with other people over the years. Froggy's had no music when we started. In fact, besides the occasional DJ, Cold Shot still is the only act that plays at Froggy's."
"The Davis music scene is in good hands," Wilbur noted, "if my drum students at Watermelon Music are any indication. Jeff, Andrew, Ron and Leo at Watermelon are committed to nurturing the musical community. Also, the veterans of the scene - Dale Lyberger, Bill Scholer and Gary Yoder - continue to play and, I hope, influence the younger players."
Urbino does note one drawback to the local music scene: "Everywhere we play starts at 10:30 p.m."
"That is so true," Martucci agreed. "When I tell people about our shows, especially on weeknights, they say, '10:30? I'm asleep by 8!' "
Along with earlier shows, the band would like to see more all-ages venues. Martucci especially enjoys playing the Celebrate Davis Festival, because people bring their families.
Aside from this, Cold Shot has no complaints. Each member enjoys the band and also has other creative endeavors: Wilbur and Urbino teach music lessons; Martucci is an artist. (View her sculptures at http://www.renemartucci.com.) Urbino and Martucci are working with author, singer and songwriter Sandy Holman of the Culture C.O-O.P, producing and playing music for Holman's original songs.
Cold Shot has earned its status as an integral part of the local music scene, and the band shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. We'll probably still see them 10 years from now, playing shows somewhere on Second Street.