Muelle (pronounced "mule") is a crossover success in the truest sense of the words. They began turning heads in 2000 by weaving their unique groove and superb improvisation into a sound that was accessible to the wide variety of crowds they encountered in central Virginia clubs and festivals. Initially, they were labeled a jamband because their focus on musicianship and an affinity for putting their stamp on classics by the Allmans, Phish, Widespread, and Stevie Wonder, just to name a few. They began building a large and varied list of covers with a single purpose...make people get up, dance, and take notice. But what those crowds soon began taking notice of were their original songs. With well crafted melodies, sophisticated harmony, and memorable lyrics all wrapped up in airtight grooves, it soon became clear that if this is a jamband, all the labels that go along with that term need to be updated. And now, with the release of their debut album "Falling Anyway" (June 2005), the word is getting out.
After relocating from the Shenandoah valley to Richmond in 2002, the band signed on with East Coast Entertainment and began playing shows at regional colleges such as James Madison University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Randolph Macon, Hampden-Sydney, Washington and Lee, Longwood, University of South Carolina and Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN). Their ability to make crowds dance, sing along, and continue to ask for more has made the demand for their performances skyrocket. In addition to college shows, they have been featured at local festivals such as Cecilfest, the Landwirt Vineyard Wine Festival, the Puddin' Cookout at Melrose, the Harbor Blast and the Fall Peace Festival. Muelle's early live material has also received airtime on the college radio station WXJM and 98.5 (98 Rocks) in Harrisonburg, Va. In addition, they have performed on RICHTV (Richmond Cable Channel 7) in support of their debut release. The band can also be heard each month at Cary St. Café (Richmond, VA) and has appeared at regional venues such as the Firehouse Grill (Fairfax, VA), Canal Club (Richmond, VA), Alley Kats (Richmond, VA), Split Rock Resort (Lake Harmony, PA), and Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, Maryland).
Also, in late 2002, they uploaded three early recordings of songs which eventually became part of their album to www.garageband.com and received excellent feedback such as...
- This song puts me in the mood to go down the street, with this song in my ears, dancing like I have no worries in the world, and all the neighbors are looking at me like I'm ON something.
- You are a tremendous song writer and I speak from experience. This song has all the right qualities to be a major hit. Monster piano solo. Just the right change in intensity after the instrumental break. The horn makes it complete. This was one of the freshest tunes I've heard in a long time. Hats off.
The Members of Muelle have been privileged to share the stage with:
Dave Matthews Band, North Mississippi All Stars, Norah Jones, Carbon Leaf, The Hackensaw Boys, Yes, Modern Groove Syndicate, Graham Colton, Sponge, Marshall Tucker Band, Pat McGee Band, Rod Stewart, Everything, Fighting Gravity, Jimmy's Chicken Shack, Cast Iron Filter, The Ordinary Way, Sun Dried Opossum, Virginia Coalition, 2 Skinnee J's, John D'Earth, Tom "Bones" Malone, Wynton Marsalis, and Butch Taylor
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