Young Rockers Look to Share Music With World

Despite their relatively young age, college students and local musicians Chelsea Carlson and John Graham speak with an experienced weariness about the difficulty being in a rock band. For Carlson, the Flanders resident has already left one group behind and spends her time performing either solo, with Graham or with Chelsea Carlson and the Black Dogs.

Graham performs with the Black Dogs or with Carlson, but has already left a band of his own behind to do so.

“Bands are dramatic,” Graham said. “They are full of drama.”

Not so much for the Black Dogs, most of whom met at the School of Rock summer program when it was in Long Valley and Graham was still in Mendham High School. Now home for the summer from their respective colleges, Carlson and Graham are busy with a series of summer gigs at places like the Black River Barn in Randolph, the Long Valley Pub and Brewery in Long Valley and Alex’s Aztec Nights in Chester.

The duo is also producing original music tracks and recording them.

“Chelsea is the voice and I am the fingers. We have a good system,” Graham said. “We’ll start off with a chord progression and she can rework it into a melody.”

Both Carlson and Graham count Queen as some of their early influences, but Pink Floyd and ACDC also fit in. As part of her summer slate, Carlson offers a different type of performance depending on who she is playing with.

“My by myself is a lot more mellow. It’s a softer performance,” Carlson said. “Me and John together can be sort of a mix with Tenacious D.”

Graham says the most dramatic difference comes when the full compliment of Black Dogs is assembled.

“The band is different, its really high energy,” Graham said.

Graham and Carlson have been working on their recordings this summer, and while they don’t know where the road is going to lead them they are savvy enough to know they need to be realistic about their plans.

“I know I want to be performer,” Carlson said. “I mean, who doesn’t want to be a rockstar? But I am also studying the business side of music so I can manage my own band.”

Graham said that he knows he just wants to play and share his music. But he also is pursuing a degree in music therapy from Montclair State.

“I am working on my certification because I know I want to help people with music if I can,” Graham said. “When I was in eighth grade and new to the area and didn’t have many friends I used to come home from school and feel as if the guitar was my friend. It got me through a lot of tough times.”

Sharing the power of that experience is high on Graham’s list of goals, but that doesn’t mean dreams of giant crowds is fading.

“I am still going to try to be a rockstar,” Graham said.

Carlson agreed, but added. “We’re also going to try to share our music with as many people as possible.”

Those interested can keep up with Chelsea via her website and her Facebook and her YouTube channel.

Anyone interested in Carlson and John Graham can check out their website and Facebook.

And anyone interested in the full band experience can see Chelsea Carlson and the Black Dogs on their website, their Facebook and their YouTube channel.

But the best way to check them out might just be to see them live, fortunately we have a schedule below (starting tonight in Chester) where you can see them for yourself.

Friday July 6 - (Chester NJ) - Chelsea Carlson - 6:00-8:00 PM - All Ages, No Cover

Sunday July 8 - Long Valley Pub & Brewery (Long Valley NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & John Graham - 4:00-7:00 PM - All Ages, No Cover

Friday July 13 - The Stanhope House (Stanhope NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & the Black Dogs - Time TBA - All Ages - Admission $15 (w/ Janiva Magness)

Saturday July 14 - Black Potatoe Music Festival (Clinton NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & the Black Dogs - 12:00 PM-12:30 PM - All Ages - Admission TBA

Saturday July 14 - Feast of Mt. Carmel (Berkeley Heights NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & John Graham - 7:00-11:00 PM - All Ages - Admission TBA

Friday July 20 - Morris County 4H Fair (Chester NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & the Black Dogs - 7:00-8:00 PM - All Ages - Admission TBA

Sunday July 22 - The Black River Barn (Randolph NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & John Graham - 3:00-7:00 PM - All Ages - No Cover

Sunday August 5 - The Black River Barn (Randolph NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & John Graham - 3:00-7:00 PM - All Ages - No Cover

Tuesday August 7 - Middlesex County Fair (East Brunswick NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & John Graham - 9:00-9:30 PM - All Ages - Admission TBA (w/ the Amish Outlaws)

Friday August 24 - The Stanhope House (Stanhope NJ) - Chelsea Carlson & the Black Dogs - 8:00 PM - All Ages - Admission $20 (w/ Steve Forbert)