Louisiana native John Gaar was born for Southern music, and it translates well to his adopted hometown of Austin, Texas. His new single, ‘Roll Like That’, is all grit and steam, and brash – and John certainly looks the part when he sings, he’s a hard-rocking old soul with the beard to match.
The entire video for ‘Roll Like That’ works; it all fits the music. You’ve got John and his buddies taking their antique Buick away out of Austin’s suburbs and across the open fields – out on a roadtrip. Shot with a filter which gives the video a 60s feel, and apart from John and his band, they’re all dressed the part as well. The video was shot in a real Austin institution, Riley’s, the first bar in Texas to sell alcohol after the repeal of prohibition, but the building itself is far older than that. It’s the perfect setting for ‘Roll Like That’ – you’d expect to see Gaar and his band playing in there on any night of the week.
The concert footage in the clip was shot at yet another Austin historic hotspot. The Saxon Pub, in South Austin, is a 30 year old club, whch has a classic look, and a dedicated clientele. This is Gaar’s local, he’s a regular at the pub, and it shows. The stage is filled with guitarists, percussionists, backing vocalists – and even a full horn section. It should come as no surprise that both the band and the audience are having a blast – and isn’t that how it should be?
