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Artist
Fox Trot Rio
11+ albums
about
Written by Josh Mahler To say that the guys that make up the rock band Fox Trot Rio are laid back would be an understatement of great proportions. I met the Virginia Beach-based band while they waited to film a performance for a local online entertainment show made through Regent University. While talking with guitarist and lead vocalist Jesse Phipps, I couldn't even get the question "Are you guys nervous?" out of my mouth before he said to drummer Josh McHugh, "If you were an animal, I think you could be a puppy." McHugh never flinched as he stood continuing to bounce a tennis ball, indicating that comments like these were typical of Phipps. I had my answer. When asked to describe the style of the band, Phipps deadpanned, "We're kind of like Black Sabbath," with his tongue firmly in cheek. Then he corrected himself. "I guess we're more like (Led) Zeppelin or The Doors." "We've gotten really Doors-ish," guitarist Ryan Berry agreed. Despite the easy-going attitude off-stage, band members Phipps, Berry, McHugh, and bassist Aaron Matthes let a collective passion take over as soon as the music starts playing. The intensity of their focus drives their high-octane hooks. It was actually a coincidence that the group got together. Just over a year ago, Phipps and McHugh were in a band booked for a show at the NorVa in downtown Norfolk. Their group suddenly broke up and Phipps was left with a place to play, but no band to play with him. On a whim, he contacted Berry and Matthes,