A big hit in France as well as Dolores, the bluesy Sugar Thieves return to the Dolores River Brewery on Friday, Oct. 9.
The Phoenix Valley five-piece performs an original mix of gospel-infused blues they promise will get your “meat shakin.’”
Lead vocalists Meridith Moore has the pipes to belt out purposeful songs, tipping the hat toward American roots music of old Mississippi, New Orleans, and Chicago.
The band flat-out boogies down thanks to the energetic groove of Mikel Lander (guitar, vocals), Shea Marshal (keys, sax), and Jeff Naylor (bass, pedal steel).
“We’re always on the move, sharing our music with new audiences,” Moore says in a telephone interview. “We fuse blues, rock, gospel, folk and some jazz to make up one big bowl of sugar.”
Moore is a career musician who performed, wrote music, and recorded with Scotty Johnson, the guitarist of the Gin Blossoms.
In 2002, she met “the love of my life” Mikel Lander and they started an acoustic duo project that grew overnight.
“Have band will travel” seems to be the adventurous motto of the Sugar Thieves.
They’ve played across the Midwest, Southwest, and in Mexico, and have had a reliable gig in France the last couple of years.
“We’ve been all over France playing music and arts festivals,” Moore said. “Europeans really eat up our authentic Delta Blues sound. We may add Belgium and Switzerland to the tour.”
The Sugar Thieves are a hard-working band as well, independently producing five albums in the past seven years. They won the Arizona State Blues Showdown three times, and regularly competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
In 2009, they were voted one of the top 10 unsigned blues bands in the world, and won the People’s Choice award in 2010 and 2013.
“We play with a lot of energy and showmanship, with a little something for everyone,” Moore says of their live performances.
While the band waits to be signed, they work hard to stay relevant, she said, and have retained a good following.
“We’re constantly performing in front of new audiences because the experience lights a creative fire to produce more original material.”
To stay current with the visual era, the band formed a YouTube channel so people can see the product as well as listen, Moore says. Just Google “YouTube Sugar Thieves” to check them out.
“We had a great night last time in Dolores, and we’re excited to return,” she said.
