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Blackout Betty

  • Genre
  • Tribute Band
  • Awards and Nominations
    • SAMMIES 2019 Nominee★ Cover Band/Tribute Band ★
  • Musicians
    • Jeffery Egger — drums, vocals
    • Jeremy Ray Bailey — bass, harmonica, vocals
    • Joey Neilsen — guitars, keyboards, vocals
    • Matt Lyon — guitars, keyboards, lead vocals
    • Thomas Hoy — keyboards, lead guitar, synthesizer
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Q & A

All-time favorite song?

02.08.19

This doesn't work for us. There are waaaay to many to call one out.

How do you describe your music to people?

02.08.19

Pull out your '80's hard rock CD collection. You know, the good stuff. Savor in your mind what it was to play that CD while cruisin' around when you were younger (or last week if you're like us.) That's us. We're the party in your convertible, the soundtrack to your kegger—and at least three times per show—we're the soundtrack to your beer goggles as you slow dance with your significant other and cop a feel before you have to go home to the kids.

Tell us about how the band formed.

02.08.19

Blackout Betty began as a little cover band from Orland, California called Outta Nowhere. After a lead guitar replacement, a change of focus, and a new bassist, we began our quest for world domination, which has resulted in four consecutive Northern California entertainment awards and a SAMMIE nomination

Tell us about your best gig in Sac.

02.08.19

So Far, for energy in Sacramento. Those shows are getting bigger, but our best to date was probably our first Swabbies small stage show. The energy was tremendous and the crowd even at the fire pit was huge and enthusiastic. We've grown a bunch since, but that was pretty solid energy. Great crowd sing-[alongs].

Tell us about your worst gig.

02.08.19

A charity chili cook-off in Chico, California. Shows like that are a lesson learned for us. Blackout Betty is not background music. We really need to be the center of attention, or the event will suffer.

What artist or band are you a little embarrassed to love, and why?

02.08.19

Not embarrassed to love ANY artist or band. We're all doin' the same thing.

What was the first song you learned to play?

02.08.19

Thomas: I am pretty sure it was "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin.

What's next for the band?

02.08.19

World Domination. Well, at least Sacramento/Tahoe domination. Bigger stages, more people to rock with is our mantra and our goal. We love meeting and rockin' new folks. We work our asses off to bring a killer show and a great night to you, for you and with you.

What's the story behind the band name?

02.08.19

Our original bass player threw it out there. Blackout Betty is the essence of the "Decade of Decadence" rock 'n' roll experience.

What's your favorite local artist/group?

02.08.19

Oh damn ... favorite as in musically, or favorite as in great people? There are so many. Musically, as an artist-artist: Zack Waters. Zack is the real deal. Kid can play.

Who are your biggest influences?

02.08.19

We are pretty diverse. Matt has always kind of looked up to Lou Gramm from Foreigner and Jeff Keith from Tesla. Thomas's tastes are pretty wide, but as a musician, it's guys like Vinnie Moore, Eddie Van Halen and Criss Oliva that you can hear in his playing the most. With Joey, it's Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth, with a little bit of 7 Mary 3 thrown in there. It's a wide stretch. Jeremy is driven by the metal and Jeffery ... Jeffery loves The Pointer Sisters and Wham!

Who first inspired you to play music?

02.08.19

We all were inspired a bit in different ways, but at the end of the day, for all of us, what made us pick up an instrument was the power of rock and the resonance of the greatest era of rock 'n' roll. While we are an era-tribute band, we aren't so much an "'80's tribute" as we are a bunch of old '80s rockers that still believe.

Words to live by?

02.08.19

Too fast to live, too young to die.

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