The Niki Barr Band

In a way it’s hard to compare Niki to other female rockers. She at times sounds a bit like Pat Benatar, but mostly has a harder edge. Her guitar playing puts her on the same level of Nancy Wilson of Heart. Niki’s intensity matches any of her contemporaries, either male or female. And with BJ, Island and Scott backing her, the Niki Barr Band has become a rock music force to be reckoned with.

"The opening act was the local Niki Barr Band. Most small bands would play this opportunity safe. It seems so seldom that a local band throws caution to the wind and goes all out in the shadow of a headliner with the Cult's stature. Surprise #1: Niki and company played their all too short set as though they were the main attraction. Their performance had that intangible strength that comes from confidence. It wasn't the songs themselves so much as how they dug deep to play them. Their infectious energy didn't go unnoticed: The next day, they were invited to join the tour for two more dates in Buffalo and Indianapolis."

"Front woman Niki Barr is a charismatic singer/songwriter and don’t let her small demeanor fool you...she has a shy presence offstage and a very girl next door quality to her, but onstage, Niki Barr is a powerful singer that almost glows while she’s exuding all of her energy via her music while on stage, and whether she’s strumming her guitar or singing, she’s pouring her heart into her performance and you really can’t fake that!"

There are not many musicians who can say they were flown in to perform a show via a Black Hawk helicopter. However, Niki Barr of the Niki Barr Band can, and last Thursday Live Lixx had the opportunity to talk to her and her band about their journeys overseas as part of Armed Forces Entertainment, an agency dedicated to boosting the morale of US troops.

"Could Baltimore be the next Seattle? There have always been people questioning and suggesting what could be the next big city in rock and roll. For a while, Portland, Ore., was viewed as the next big music scene, but that movement never materialized as much as Seattle, Wash., did in the early 90s.
But Baltimore as a serious music scene?"

"It's not unusual to celebrate your birthday with live music at a local nightclub. Less typical is spending it on stage as the evening's headliner...
The Annapolis-based musician has already recorded several CDs, and her band's new single just ended seven weeks in the number one slot on British satellite radio. Musicians twice her age haven't accomplished that feat, but Barr got an early start: She began playing her own blend of hook-laden power pop when she was just 15..."

"...she has and still is taking this radio station [Pulse Rated] completely by storm - her 2005 album release rocks a la Joan Jett (check out the latest on Niki in the general news section)."

"One of the most promising artists in the Baltimore region is back in the news this month. The prolific and talented Niki Barr has just released Go, a four-track EP of new material, and already the songs have made a huge impact far beyond the confines of the Maryland music scene."

"21 year old Niki Barr is headed in the right direction with a tenacious head on her shoulders. At such a young age she has a ton of experience both as a recording artist as well as a live performer. A gutsy guitar-driven project that should appeal to the masses."

"Niki Barr is about as close to a musical “sure thing” as you will find in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region. Back in the March 2004 edition of “The Grab Bag,” I called Barr, “one of the brightest up-and-coming performers in the region” and she has taken great strides to make that prediction a reality."

"Young rocker Niki Barr to light up the holidays for troops in Middle East. Armed Forces Entertainment takes Niki Barr on fourth overseas tour. Young rocker Niki Barr knows what it takes to rock the troops. Embarking on her fourth Armed Forces Entertainment tour since 2002, Barr brings her powerful stage presence and original lyrics to military bases in Southwest Asia Dec. 16th through Jan. 9th."

"Twenty-two-year-old Niki Barr is a walking, breathing argument against music critics. Her sound is neither old nor new. It follows a long tradition, but somehow breaks the mold. In other words, it can’t be categorized—but you’ll know it when you hear it."

"Niki Barr…. “WOW!” … I’ll say more….
Niki Barr pranced onto the stage rocking hard and never stopped throughout her entire set. This could be a metaphor for her life because at age 22 she is already in the process of starting a clothing line, is supported by a strong street team made up of dedicated fans, has tons of merchandise including a full-length CD and a music video on DVD. If that weren’t enough, she also has artistic, high quality t-shirts and tiny buttons displaying her logo. Her sound is solid and so is her look. Niki has already performed in Japan, Alaska, Singapore, and Europe and this December she will begin her tour through the U.K., Hawaii, Greece, Italy and Spain."

Interview:
"After some quick handshakes on the side stage of The State Theatre, we were off to a local pub for some pre-concert dinner and conversation. With the poster boy for Read Headed Stepchildren as our waiter, Niki Barr, tour manager Pat Hester and myself sat down under the awning on a rainy Thursday to discuss influences, crazy bus drivers and opening for U2."

Review:
"Imagine three gladiators in a five-foot-three capsule and that's the energy and intensity of Niki Barr. I had a glimpse of it during our interview with her passionate answers and her speed at correcting me when I misspoke the name of one of her tracks(I called "My Breathing Heart", "My Breaking Heart" by mistake). Niki's street clothes had been replaced by red pants, a black button-down with a black and red tie hanging around her neck."

"She’s been described as an Avril Lavigne-type, but less poppy. She’s been said to have the same sound as Alanis Morrisette, but before Alanis stopped being angry. Of course, the qualifying statements could be dropped if publications just realized one absurdly simple truth: Niki Barr is Niki Barr."

"Most people Niki Barr’s age are into Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne and think of those as true rocker girls. Yet anybody who’s been around Earth long enough knows those two are just pretenders when compared to the likes of head Pretender Chrissie Hynde, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett or the wild children of Vixen.
Barr’s debut full-length “Lush” tends toward the excellence of the latter group and the enthusiasm of the former, where a youthful singer can belt out heart-wrenching anthemic tunes like “So Far Away” along side crunchy guitars and not have a brand name to peddle."

"Mixing punk, pop and enough Grrrl power to remind you of the female rockers who helped pioneer that sound, Lush S.E. from Niki Barr is a hard-rocking effort that might be just the kick in the ass that sends this rock and roll femme fatale over the top. She’s got the look (and endorsement deal with Pantene), she’s got the sound and she’s got the songs. From the opening strains of Wasted Time, with its full-out assault of fuzzy guitar and power chords, to the closer ballad My Breathing Heart, Lush S.E. is a commercially appealing album that manages to keep an edge and attitude, while obviously trying to reach a wider audience. If this doesn’t do it, it won’t be for lack of trying. With twelve well-written songs that stay with you, Lush S.E. has a sound that’s fresh and original with a nice thick vibe. Lots of loud guitar and catchy hooks make for a likeable record that’s alternative-sounding most of the time, with an occasional 80’s retro feel. The song Nothing At All reminded me of Pretenders meet Aimee Mann in her Til Tuesday era. Jangley guitar in the beginning giving way to a soaring chorus that has that Voices Carry sound. The majority of the tunes are flat-out rockers, but a few of the slower tunes, Inside Looking Out and My Breathing Heart, are two of four songs she wrote by herself. They add an emotional depth to the album and show her to be quite the capable songstress in her own right. On the other eight tunes she shares songwriting credit with eight other people, some songs have four writers, so these songs are pure Barr.
The production is big. The sound is complex, but not overwhelming, with layers of sound that can go from sparse to dense in a drumbeat. It’s a great sounding record that plays loud very well.
What makes Lush-Special Edition so special is only two hundred were made and it comes with a note from Niki thanking you for you support. If that’s not enough for you, then consider the musical aspects. Hard rockin’, good sounding, a Parental Advisory Sticker, memorable and it holds up to repeated listening. That’s the kind of special I like, and Lush S.E. fills that bill for me. Check out samples and more at nikibarr.com and I think you’ll agree."

"Every once in a while I come across a real talented entertainer who hasn't quite made the top tier to become a household name. One such entertainer is Niki Barr. She has been gaining recognition along the East Coast and in certain venues. Niki has just recorded and released a full length album titled LUSH. It features some really hard hitting power pop music."

"Not long after the buzz saw guitar and jackhammer beats give way to the anthemic chorus on "Wasted Time," the opening track on "Lush," the lyrics begin to ring prescient: "I'm gonna hit hot, gonna make an impression," sings Maryland rocker Niki Barr in a voice that leaves little doubt she's accustomed to reaching her goals.
As the album unfolds, Barr's talent and promise continue to shine. Though in her early twenties, she sounds like a thoroughly seasoned pro, not only capable of writing smart, catchy, unharnessed rock songs but delivering them with enough power and passion to make most of the competition seem reserved by comparison.Barr will never have much trouble winning over fans of such obvious kindred spirits as Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde."

"Niki Barr's going far -- it's just a matter of how soon and how far. A petite power-pop favoring powerhouse, Barr writes great hook-laden songs (she's also been doing some co-writing with the likes of the Matrix and Butch Walker), and sings them with charming abandon and exhilarating energy, her own strong guitar playing supported by a tight band, featuring former Fighting Gravity guitarist Michael Sauri and former Everything drummer Nate Brown. Avril Lavigne could learn a thing or two from Barr, including how to actually play an instrument and rock the house."