Black Rock Social from Bridgeport, Connecticut is coming to bring the reggae sound to Garcia's! In this exclusive interview, we cover everything from their YouTube channel to their crowd-working expertise. Make sure to read up and grab a ticket to see a passionate group of performers do what they love! It goes down at Garcia's on June 23. Keep scrolling to catch another interview with The Big Takeover!

1. Black Rock Social TV is a channel on YouTube where members of your band interview members of other bands. Does getting to meet and talk to these artists inspire you guys in any way? Which upload on the channel would you say is your favorite and why?

Black Rock Social TV is a lot of fun because it lets our fans see other artists the way that we see them. As friends. Sometimes you see an amazing band, and there is this sense that they're super-humans who live on stage, but they're all just guys like us at the end of the day. For that reason, an all time favorite is the episode where Pete Francis discusses his favorite ice cream flavor with Darian. Just goofball friends hanging in the greenroom at The Acoustic. We always have a ton of laughs when Pete is around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f9C1nnHrRo

2. Your passion for performing is obvious due to the amount of energy present on stage at every show. What would you say is the number one thing that drives you to give it your all at every performance?

Well, to put it simply, we really love to play. We get pumped to go out and do what we love, and we try to bring that same energy to every crowd we perform for. The more energy we come with, the more energy the crowd has. We feed off of them, and they feed off of us. It's a beautiful cycle we get caught up in with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVC4BWY3L9k

3. Not long ago, you guys debuted a couple unreleased tracks at The Acoustic entitled “Heaven” and “Sounds Good Coming From You.” Do you guys plan on getting into the studio to record some of this original material? When can we expect a release?

We are currently in the studio recording our first full length album, which will include those two tunes. Not sure on a release date yet, but we're shooting for early fall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fZI2UIP9h8

4. You guys perform mainly in the Connecticut and New York areas. Do you have any plans of expanding into other areas of the northeast? What about for the long-term future?

We are absolutely looking to expand beyond the Connecticut/New York area. Top secret plans to infiltrate major cities around the Northeast are currently in the works, and ideally, we would love to take this thing worldwide... but we'll start with the Northeast.

5. You've had some pretty special guests sit in with you, such as, Josh David Barett of The Wailers, and the lovely and talented Jen Durkin of Deep Banana Blackout. Who has been your favorite artist to collaborate with so far? What makes a special guest sit in go from good to mind-blowing?

That's a tough one. There can't really be a favorite, because they're all so unique in what they bring to the stage. Jen is a long time friend, so it's always a blast to have her up with us. We know we're gonna have a great time with her whether she's sitting in on our tunes, or we're all collectively grooving out on Cosmic Slop with cats from P-Funk. Pete Francis is great because he's just such a fun guy to be around in general, and he brings that energy to the stage. Playing Dispatch tunes with him, particularly Ride A Tear, was definitely a highlight of our residency at The Acoustic. Then there's Josh... Not only is he a consummate musician, but he's also just a really beautiful person. He brings real love to the stage and is totally at home playing our originals, his originals, and of course, Bob Marley. It really is an honor to perform those tunes with the lead singer of The Wailers, and even more of an honor to have him come back to perform with us again and again. We've been so lucky to do what we have in the short time we've been together. What makes any sit in go from good to mind blowing is the energy, of course, but also the vibe. How comfortable someone feels on stage with us, and us with them. The artists we've had share the stage with us have gone from being friends to being family. There has to be that level of love and respect to really take it to that next level... to really blast it off. You can't fake that. We also talked to Nee Nee Rushie, frontwoman of The Big Takeover. Coming out of New Paltz, NY, they have shared the stage with names like The Wailers, Badfish, and Jefferson Starship. You won't want to miss this talented group of crowd-workers as they have over 500 shows in their arsenal!

1. Since 2008, you have gained inimitable experience playing over 500 shows up and down the east coast. What is the most important thing you have learned about live performances? What separates a good show from a bad one?

I've come to realize over the years that it is all about maintaining a certain level of consistency. I try to make my "message" consistent. It's really the only thing that I can make sure stays the same. The audience-though very very important (and I tend to feed off of their energy), is not always consistent. The space is never the same. What happened before hitting the stage is never predictable. The songs we play usually change, and sometimes even how we play them will change. With all these variables, I try to make sure I deliver a message that pushes people to "let it go" and "enjoy themselves". We worry about so much, all the time-as humans we can't help it. I work hard at every show, hoping that someone out there will receive my message to just let it go and enjoy the now. Dance, smile, be happy. If it's only for one night. If I look out and someone is dancing, smiling and letting it go, then it is a great show, regardless of anything else.

2. With three full-length albums released and another in the works, you are no strangers to the studio. Can you describe your course of action when it comes to writing? Which band member usually brings the most ideas to the table?

We usually start with a framework brought to the team by one member. Everyone has put ideas forward, but usually it is Rob Kissner (bass) who brings me a riff or chord progression, and I take it and try to form verses and a chorus and so on and so forth. Then we bring it to the full band and everyone puts their stamp on it. Sometimes what we start with as a framework, morphs into something so different from what we started with- it's actually amazing to see the development. Other times, we just get together and jam- and something just happens and we have a song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ0Wng3ocBg

3. After the upcoming full-length is released, you guys plan on branching out on a national tour. Is there any specific place out west that you have been eager to perform in?

I have never been out west before, so I look forward to going really anywhere out there. I am in love with the sun and warm weather- so a sunny warm place would make me very happy inside. We get requests to play in Austin, TX, Oregon and Colorado from fans that have either traveled their or moved to these places. So those places have been on our mind.

4. It's clear that your audiences, big or small, are always so engaged in your live performance. What advice would you give to an up and coming band about how to work the crowd in a positive manner?

Working the crowd is hard because everyone is so different. I love the audience and when I'm onstage I love watching them do their thing. I feed off of their energy. I think people engage when they can trust you as an entertainer, so I try to remain trustworthy by being honest and organic in my performance. I sing from the heart and keep it real and honest by just being myself. I think people can always appreciate someone that acts like them self. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnbnpOQaOdI

5. Front woman Nee Nee is from Jamaica and has been listening to the reggae sound for the majority of her life. Is there any Jamaican artist that singlehandedly inspires you to do what you do? Is there multiple?

I am really inspired by many artists. Jamaican, and not Jamaican. I love music from the sixties! I love rocksteady and original ska. The Heptones, The Paragons, Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis (People like that!) I love listening to singers' voices. Some of my favorite voices are: Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Nancy Sinatra, Burning Spear, Horace Andy, Barrington Levy, Amy Whinehouse, Teddy Pendergrass, Desmond Dekker, Otis Redding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdJATWmD4Yg