Article originally published in Through the Lens Magazine on November 7, 2015
Article and photos by Melodie Yvonne Ramey
LAFAYETTE, IN – All around America there are hundreds of celebration options every year for any age on Halloween night. Many Hoosiers had the choice made easy for them, though, after seeing LD Miller opening for Moe. with the Joe Marcinek Band a week before the holiday. Just a little taste of that hardcore down-home rock pouring from Ld Miller’s soul, and it’s easy to get hooked. There was no question of where to spend Halloween in 2015. The Miller Halloween Bash at Digby’s was definitely the place to be this year.
Guests arrived decked to the nines in costumes with the normal array of Halloween fashion and fright. Cowboys and scarecrows mingled with Dave Grohl around the bar while Batman and Spiderman served drinks. A costume contest would determine the winner in the end, but for now the only thing on the mind of the crowd was the anticipation of the phenomenal music getting ready to begin. Miller soon took the stage, and the holiday festivities were all but forgotten as the fans became lost in the rhythms.
Miller is made up of four individually spectacular musicians bonded by the kinship shared in their Hoosier roots. Cole Miller contributes his seductive strumming on guitar, and lends his passionate soulful voice for lead and back up vocals. David Mickler, dressed for the evening as Jesus, bestows his thunderously transcendent talent on percussion. Ryan Fletcher, in disguise as the UFO cultist leader, Zoltan, imparts his breathtaking brilliance on flute bringing a ethereal exhilaration to the crowd. Last, but not least, LD Miller, donning a set of horns appropriately likening him to the musically mischievous Pan, brought his extraordinary talents on harmonica, guitar, and vocals. LD, known mostly for his skills with the harmonica, was deemed a child prodigy at the young age of 12 when he and his brother won second place on America’s Got Talent. He has shared the stage with many greats like Stevie Wonder, Jon Popper, BB King, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Ziggy Marley, and more. Musical mastery abounds in the coming together of this beautifully harmonizing mixture of men, and it pours out Digby’s doors into the night cajoling more and more costume clad patrons to come into the warmth to imbibe in good spirits and great times.
Miller captivated the crowd for hours with their impassioned blues rock. They fed the fans musical treats long into the night keeping them on their feet and dancing like toddlers with a Halloween sugar buzz after devouring their loot. They mixed it up between covers and originals, keeping true to their roots, and throwing in a masterfully melodious rendition of “Change” by the legendary Lafayette native, Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon. “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder was another fantastic success as the crowd harmonized and writhed to the supernaturally satisfying Halloween vibe. Finally it was time for some well deserved rewards. Costume prizes went to the dazzling doppelgangers of Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson, a magnificent and all to innocent looking man of the cloth, and a sassy and stunning Snooki.
All in all The Miller Halloween Bash at Digby’s was a sensational success for the musicians and guests alike. It was easy to see that their was not a single, or a pair of disappointed ears in the house. Digby’s fantastic food, friendly staff, and bewitching ambiance ensured that there wasn’t an empty belly or an unhappy customer all evening. It’s a definite that Hoosiers everywhere will be waiting with baited breath for the holiday to roll around next year, and their next chance to catch the fantastic foursome that make up the marvelous band, Miller.
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Photo and video footage shot for Photographic Melodie by Melodie Yvonne Ramey. Shot with Nikon D800E
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Categories: Concert & Events Reviews, Concert, Theatre, and Performance, Concerts & Events, Concerts & Events 2015, Melodie Yvonne, Photo Reviews, Reviews
