ULTRA VIOLET Review by Kevin Hanley

Traveling from club to club, taking pictures and talking to musicians and club owners, has been a great source of entertainment in and of itself. The typical scenario goes something like this: we read an article or see a newspaper ad, describing a venue, together with the entertainment schedule. We decide what groups and venues we will review in the following week, then set out to cover all the events we have scheduled. It makes for a full week, in that we usually review an average of four shows during the period. Keep in mind, we also have full time day gigs, to pay the bills! We have learned to request interviews in advance, to determine the best time to speak to the artists. This practice has proven to be most effective, so as not to interfere with tight schedules.

We heard there was an All Girl rock group in Pensacola, and thought it would make an interesting theme for an article. I sent an E-mail to the band through their local website, and requested an interview. Ms. Diana Bailey (spokesperson for the group), wrote back, and said they would love to speak with us. We arranged to meet at Seville Quarter, a local club and entertainment complex located in the historic district.

On the evening of the interview, I arrived at our designated rendezvous, promptly at 8 PM, as arranged. At 8:10 PM, I began to wonder if the ladies had forgotten our plan. At that point, I saw a black stretch limo pull up in front of the door, the driver walked around, open the door, and I observed a seemingly endless parade of beautiful women get out. From their outward appearance, I thought surely they were VIP's, on their way to the theater for some cultural extravaganza, or perhaps a political reception. I was overwhelmed, when the apparent lady in charge, walked directly up to me, offered a warm handshake, and said "Hi Kevin, you look exactly like your picture on the website!" You could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather at that moment. It was at that moment that I realized Ultra Violet was very special. These young ladies were dressed to the t's as I said, and then I noticed one of the members was wearing multi colored basketball sneakers. Somehow, they didn't quite match the rest of her ensemble, consisting of a sequined jacket and black shorts. We all introduced ourselves, and went into the club for our interview. At this point, I need to clarify that normally, an interview takes 10 to 15 minutes, including a short photo shoot. This night would prove different. 3-1/2 hours after meeting, we finally said our goodbye's, and went our separate ways. I came away from our initial visit with a sense of amazement, and admiration, for all the band members.

These ladies have been performing together since 1992, and have been featured several years running on the Springfest Discovery Stage, as well as many other festivals and special events in the Western Florida region. The group consists of: Cindy Symington on backup vocals and bass guitar, Lisa Hornbrook on lead guitar, Deborah Barnes on guitar, keyboard and lead vocals, and Diana Bailey on the drums. I have seen several U.V. performances, among those, the Grand Opening of Tremor's, and I am still at loss to catagorize this group. To say they are versatile, would be an understatement. I have heard them do incredible covers of Heart, Led Zeplin, Jimi Hendrix, and too many more to list!

What impressed me most, was the originals tunes these ladies can hammer out. "Harder Faster"is a powerful driving tune, with haunting vocals as only Deborah can sing them. She puts so much of herself into the music, it is like viewing an intimate window into her soul. Powerful, dynamic, forceful, yet a presence with a wisp of kindness, unlike any other vocalist I have ever seen. A sensual feast for both the eyes, and ears.

Cindy is a free spirit, and attacks her bass with reckless abandon, at times even plucking the strings with her teeth! She moves around the stage in a fluid, relaxed style, confident in her performance and comfortable in virtually any setting. Then, there's Lisa. At first impression, I thought Lisa was quiet and reserved, content to remain out of the limelight during the interview.

Then there is the "Lisa on stage", that I met at Trader Johns. I was in awe of her playing abilities, the brightness of her riffs, the spirit that she conveyed and the tasteful fills she added to the performance. Lisa is very talented, and knows just the right touch to use for each tune. Having performed over the years with so many lead guitarists that suffer from a "terminal superstar" mind set, Lisa offers such a refreshing insight to the part she plays. While an intricate part of the band, Lisa is a team player, content to share the spotlight and backup her bandmates. And talk about covers, she does Hendrix note for note on his songs. How strange yet so refreshing, to see this young lady , hot pink guitar in hand, playing the Star Spangled Banner, followed by Purple Haze.

Then, there's Diana Bailey on drums. Quite, reserved, exquisite beauty that could lead any man astray, who would ever imagine she would be capable of any type of aggression, much less playing drums in a rock group? And believe me, play she does. Providing a constant metered beat, with brilliant fills and well structured measures, Diana lays out a firm yet relaxed line for her team.

ULTRA VIOLET is unlike any other group I have ever seen. I am totally in awe of these young ladies, and you will be too!