Moran Tripp Band and Jag Robinson Were Refreshingly Old School
Words by Rahsaan “Wordslave” Eldridge
Photos by Steve Satzberg
Last Friday was a cold night in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. But while the temperature outside was just above freezing, inside Rams Head On Stage was on fire!
At Rams Head on Stage on Jan. 3, the opening act was 19-year-old guitarist Jag Robinson, accompanied by bass and drums to form a dynamic rock trio complete with long hair, heavy distortion, and even bell bottoms!? The act’s vintage look and sound served as a perfect appetizer for the main course Moran Tripp Band, wide legs and all!
Jag is an explosive player. His tone was dirty; attack relentless. His stage presence and vocal timbre evoked the spirit of greats like Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. A highlight of the set was a cover of Muddy Waters’s “Catfish,” during which Jag threw off his baggy denim jacket and flung it to the back of the stage as if to say “I’m tired of playing with y’all.” Their version explored three or four movements. Just when you thought it was over they came right back as if to tell the audience, “nah, you ain’t getting off that easy.”
Jag’s set transported me back to my days in dive bars, the cash only ones with beer nuts, sticky floors, and bathrooms that smell like ammonia, but with a rockin’ band that made the hangover worth it. It wasn’t until after their last note that I was brought back into the packed seated listening room. It was an exciting trip that more than warmed up the stage for the featured act.
Stream “Gypsy Ring” by Jag Robinson on YouTube:
Moran Tripp Band came out with their foot on the gas. Their opening tune was “Heavy Is The Load.” Drummer Dru Tucker started alone on stage, kicking it off with a heavy backbeat to let the crowd know that the train was coming.
Once the rest of the band joined the tune, it was clear that train wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon. Tucker along with Tom Coster on bass make up the rhythm section. Ryan Moran (lead vocals and guitar) and Shane Tripp (guitar) rounded out the quartet. Moran and Tripp, the band’s frontmen, run a mean two-man game, playing effortlessly off one another.
Shane deftly wields his guitar. He’s a technician who can ferociously shred as he did on “Nothing In The Way” but also makes his Tele sing sweetly as evidenced on their cover of The Allman Brothers’s “Blue Sky.” And Moran is in no way a slouch on his Gibson ES-335. The two weave seamlessly together, back and forth on their axes most notably on the duet “Ballad Of The Bullet.”
Watch the Moran Tripp Band play “Blue Sky” by The Allman Brothers Band live for Kensington Studio Sessions on YouTube:
Not to mention Moran’s vocals are suede, somehow smooth and gruff at the same time. All night he displayed a balance of power and control in his voice without missing a note. The rhythm section was beyond solid, a perfect support to the two guitarists. Tucker’s kick drum was booming, and snare cracking. Coster walked his lines and tastefully picked spots to shine, never sacrificing the foundation.
For two hours, the Moran Tripp Band rocked a sold-out Rams Head audience with a sound barely contained by the room. As an encore they brought Jag and his drummer back to the stage where they all jammed out until the well deserved climatic standing ovation.They truly kept that train moving all evening and whatever town it blows through next, I highly recommend being on board.
Catch the Morgan Tripp Band in their weekly residency at Madam’s Organ in DC!
For more on Moran Tripp Band, visit the band’s website.
Here are some photos of Jag Robinson opening Moran Tripp Band at Rams Head on Stage on Jan. 3, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.
Here are some photos of the Moran Tripp Band performing at Rams Head on Stage on Jan. 3, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.
