Mr. Johnson and His Loaded Dice Rock The Ranch House in Sparks, NV
Mr. Johnson and His Loaded Dice have carved a niche for themselves in the country-rockabilly scene with a unique blend of musical influences and an exceptional stage presence. Their music is characterized by witty lyrics, strong rhythms, and a classy touch of steel and acoustic guitars. The first thing that stands out as they take the stage is that they're dressed classy, but then they start playing and there's a bit of a punk rock attitude to their performance. Whatever they've got going on is hard to pin down and define, and I think that's part of what makes them great. They are genuine. They are funny. They talk a little shit, tell a few jokes, and laugh a lot. The whole point of music is to have fun and entertain the crowd, and this group does not disappoint!
I was first introduced to singer Zach Johnson by my good friend and local concert enthusiast Steve Wolfgang. And from the second Zach walked up to us outside the venue to give us our tickets for entry I knew this was gonna be a fun night. Zach had his cowboy hat, snakeskin shirt, leather jacket, curly mustache and a bright shiny silver tooth. Pure style! When I met the rest of the band, they matched Zach's flair and presented themselves as a cohesive unit. They all just looked...cool. Drummer Lucy even added the incredible touch of wearing bracelets with dice dangling from them, representing the name of the band with an attention to detail that's lost on many bands nowadays. I didn't notice this until I was editing their photos, but this was a simple addition I thought was fantastic and endearing.
The Ranch House in Sparks, NV remains an interesting venue. It's gone through multiple name changes and has seen more than a few makeovers, but it has long been a haven for live music enthusiasts. Over the years, the Ranch House has hosted an array of nationally touring metal bands, hip hop, and all sorts of hometown artists making it a cornerstone of the local music scene. It's good to see a smaller venue continue to bring live music to this town!
The bassist d.L. Pursel added character to the band with a red white and blue trucker hat with the phrase "country music my ass!" across the front, along with keeping the crowd entertained with jokes. he added serious grooves with his beautiful white, wood-grained traditional double bass, while on the other side of the stage, steel guitarist jonah winchester rounded out the classical country sound with finesse while rocking a flashy collared shirt, jeans and cowboy boots working the pedals beneath his instrument.
