Arts & Entertainment
EKOOSTIK HOOKAH
Ekoostik Hookah is one of the most dynamic live acts on the road today.
The band’s roots came from the Deadhead sense of ideals, music and community. Hookah’s mix of rich harmonies, psychedelic tinged guitars and an underlying funky bass has attracted legions of fans. They’ve also cultivated a sense of community within its fan base, an idea that has won the band a huge grassroots following. Rejecting major label overtures, Hookah has stayed true to their independent leanings, they’ve sold over 100,000 copies of their first eight recordings.
The band‘s concert DVD, “Live In Newport” was recorded live at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus in 2005. The group just released their ninth studio album, the video enhanced double CD “Under Full Sail: It All Comes Together”,
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The origins of Ekoostik Hookah began in 1991 at a smokey bar in Columbus , Ohio that held a weekly jam session. After the one of these jam sessions vocalist/keyboardist Dave Katz, guitarist Steve Sweney and bassist Cliff Starbuck came to the conclusion that they had the makings of something special. They all decided to leave their respective groups to start a new group. The band added drummer Eric Lanese, rhythm guitarist Ed McGee and percussionist Johnny Polansky to the mix.
After only a few shows, they had already attracted a rabid local following. The band went into the studio and recorded their first album “Under Full Sail”. They loved working in the studio, but were quick to realize their biggest strength was their live performance, so they decided to concentrate on touring. Thanks to their reputation as one of the hardest working live acts on the road, Hookah routinely sells out everywhere they perform.
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The band also started one of the most successful independent music festivals, “Hookaville”. The first “Hookaville” took place in 1994 as an outdoor bar-b-que in their manager’s backyard. It has steadily grown year after year attracting such national acts as Ratdog, Arlo Guthrie, David Crosby, Jazz Mandolin Project, The Neville Brothers, Derek Trucks Band and Leftover Salmon.
