Spongetones capture ’60s-’70s musical sentiment in Tega Cay event

Put power pop into fab fall festivities with a surge from The Spongetones live Friday at Casual Water Bar and Restaurant in Tega Cay.

The wealth of melodic sounds and rich 60s-70s sentiment is alive and well thanks to the dedication of this quartet originally formed in the early 80’s and based in this area.

The Spongetones’ fame has traveled round the world since their 1982 debut album “Beat Music” right on through their impressive array of original albums, compilations, special projects and more.

Their attention to the nuances of a specific musical genre – especially authentic melodies, jangly edges, pop riffs, and rich harmony vocals – have helped maintain the past and enrich the future.

The Spongetones aim to be captivating and certainly do succeed. You know the names and numbers to expect. Given the various labels from rock, blues, or Brit Rock to Beatlesque, psychedelic and pop, it’s very much a rich assortment of influences.

“It’s the stuff we do,” says Steve Stoeckel, bass/vocals/guitar/songwriter for The Spongetones. “Always lots of Beatles, The Stones, and Cream, with all the hits from the British Invasion years.” Along with Stoeckel, the band features Jamie Hoover, guitar/vocals/producer/songwriter; Pat Walters, guitar/vocals/keyboards/songwriter; and Chris Garges, drums.

The respect for the band’s own music is as important as being able to capture the power of pop music. “As a songwriter, it pleases me when I see other bands refer to us as an influence, especially when doing what we do best – writing, recording and performing,” said Stoeckel. He added he is constantly encouraged by new artists and “great pop sounds with melodies and chords that sound fresh.”

Meanwhile, the band is excited about their upcoming performance. After quite a few years, “We’re still together, still performing and still having a good time,” Stoeckel said, with a laugh. “It’s as much fun as ever, and every gig is a breath of fresh air. This is what we do – to do it professionally and we work to do it well,” adding, “Come on out. We love to see people and to get the chance to perform for them.”

Crank it up with the “one, two, three, fah” fun of the Fab Four with plenty of other hit sounds from The Spongetones Friday at Casual Water Bar and Restaurant, 15083 Molokai Drive, Tega Cay. Call 548-3500 or check casualwaterattegacay.vpweb.com for more details. For more on the music visit spongetones.com and on Facebook.

Elsewhere locally

Friday: Matt Stratford Band at Food Truck Friday, Fountain Park, Rock Hill; Aaron Hargett Acoustic at The Handlebar, Catawba; Oneppo Brothers Band at John’s Place, Fort Mill.

Saturday: PJ Brunson Red Carpet Party at Ledo Pizza, Rock Hill; Foothills Oompah Band (5-9 p.m.) at Oktoberfest, downtown Rock Hill; Whiskey Prophets (2:30-4 p.m.) and Khaos Kings (3:45-5 p.m.) at Hillarity, Chester; Hillarity Festival, Chester; Oneppo Brothers Band at Beef O’Brady’s, Baxter Village, Fort Mill.

Sunday: Harvest Moon Music Fest, Marty Perkins Benefit at The End Zone, Rock Hill; Chubby Knuckles, Holiday Band, Cassius Fury Band at Long Branch Saloon, Rock Hill.

Thursday: Frank Sciandra Wooden Music at Patti’s BackStage, Rock Hill.

Hot tickets in Charlotte

Maddie & Tae, Friday 8 p.m. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $15-$20. www.amossouthend.com.

Family Force 5, Saturday 8 p.m. Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $15-$30. www.visulite.com.

Griz, Saturday 9 p.m. The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. $25. www.livenation.com.

Eric Roberson, Sunday 7 p.m. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $29-$50. www.amossouthend.com.

Passafire/Lionize, Sunday 8 p.m. Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $12. www.visulite.com.

Oddisee, Monday 10 p.m. Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. $16-$18. www.snugrock.com.

Wednesday 13, Tuesday 8:30 p.m. Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $10-$12. www.chopshopnoda.com.

This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Spongetones capture ’60s-’70s musical sentiment in Tega Cay event."