 "Photo: Marcus Thompson")
The clock was slowly approaching midnight on Jan. 30, and the Alley Cat Restaurant and Bar was packed to the brim.
The sound of excitement filled the crowded bar as local band Baby Baby made their entrance through the front door. They filed onto the stage, one after the other, like heroes returning from war with their heads held high and instruments in hand. They knew what they had to do: together they would turn Carrollton into one big dance party.
Fans, friends and family were standing shoulder to shoulder, ready to dance and have a good time. Baby Baby began, playing crowd pleasures including “London Bridges,” “The Sandwich Song,” and “Twenty Dollars.”
However, a few songs into the set, fate took over, the PA system blew, and the vocals went out.
For most bands, this would be a problem. For Baby Baby, this meant that the band would have to accept more than 40 new members. Without skipping a beat, the band continued to play and the crowd took over the vocals.
What a sight to be seen – imagine 40, almost 50 face-painted, enthusiastic fans belting out lyrics, standing and dancing on amps, on chairs and on tables in the crowded bar. A few people grabbed random objects and banged on the drums along with Baby Baby drummer Grant Wallace, others had tambourines and cowbells, playing as loud as they could. And still others clapped their hands over their heads, smiling.
Baby Baby’s genre is “fun rock,” and it is indeed fun. Band members include Grant Wallace on drums, Fontez Brooks on guitar and lead vocals, and Kyle Dobbs on bass and back-up vocals. This three-piece band began during summer 2009, and their momentum has gathered since their debut performance. They have played numerous shows around the metro Atlanta area and have obtained a faithful fan base. In fact, those who attend one show are often said to have shown signs of being bitten by what the band and fans alike call the “Swagmonsta.”
Baby Baby consists of more than just the three people onstage – they are everyone who comes to the show including the people who bang out drumbeats on the walls and tables, the people who dance onstage during “We Do This All Night Long,” and the people who scream out lyrics into the microphones alongside the band.
The band has a new CD out entitled “Long Live the Swagmonsta,” accompanied by a music video shot by UWG student Terence Rushin for their song, “The Sandwich and I Thought We Were Friends.” Baby Baby included plenty of fan participation of the making of the CD and music video. The CD includes a number of their fans performing for their band, and the duration of the music video shoot involved numerous others.
Baby Baby is, without a doubt, a must-see show for all those who are looking to have a great time. Make sure to bring your dancing pants, though, because once the music starts, you won’t be able to stop.
For updates on upcoming shows, a chance to check some of their music or to view their music video, add the group on Facebook or visit Baby Baby’s Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/babybabylovesyou/.
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