Big Engine roars on stage, delivering hard driving rock ‘n’ roll music with a Southern influence.
Lead vocalist Tony Mikus, Hans Oellerich, Charlie Ost and Matt McCoy comprise the group, which travels across the U.S. playing for diverse crowds.
Since the band was part of a taping for “America’s Got Talent” in January, Big Engine members have had a full slate. The crew played at Daytona’s Bike Week. They were also the featured act for the “Gas Monkey Garage” cruise with Richard Rawlings, performing four shows.
“You go from playing something like that to Winn Dixie,” Mikus said.
Several months ago in Callahan, fans stood nearby as Mikus and Oellerich belted out rock standards at the grocery store. Customers sang along as the store celebrated a renovation. That’s just an example of the wide range of venues the band is happy to play.
“It’s definitely not boring that’s for sure,” Oellerich said. “It’s fun.”
The lead guitarist joined the band as a teen. He is often center stage harmonizing with Mikus while McCoy plays bass and Ost hammers away on drums.
“People go through enough in their daily lives, they come to a rock show for an escape,” Oellerich said. “We make the show about the crowds. We want to elevate the people. We don’t want them to come to the show and get depressed.”
Big Engine loves its fans. And its fans love Big Engine – so much so that fan McCoy joined the band. He was formerly in another band and he and crew manager Mike Thompson joined Big Engine with Thompson as road manager.
“I was a fan immediately after hearing ‘Rock ‘n’ roll Machine’ and ‘Juggernaut (Built for Speed)’ I was like, wow,” McCoy recalled.
Fans have called themselves “The Big Engine Freaks,”
“The Enginettes,” “Big Engine Fest” and “Blondetourage.”
Mikus affectionately calls his fans “Freak Patrol” from the band’s song, “That Girl’s a Freak.”
Devoted fans follow them across the U.S. to attend concerts, including a South Carolina couple who went to South Dakota to see the band perform, according to Ost, who added, “How many times do you talk to a couple that plans their vacation around a concert? One fan has visited 11 states to listen to Big Engine.
Fan Tony Dorris fashioned a plaque from various license plates that reads “Freak Patrol.” He recently gave it to the guys as a gift.
“It was a huge very cool surprise,” Oellerich said.
Friends have built long lasting relationships by connecting through the band’s music. People have met, fallen in love and even married onstage at concerts.
“They would have never met if it wasn’t for the band,” Oellerich said.
The men consider themselves family. They spend a great deal of time together in rehearsal and on the road. When traveling from show to show, they make it a habit to sightsee.
They’ve walked the streets of New York City and enjoyed the fare offered at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Jo Junior Restaurant.
They also keep their personal environment substance-free. It allows them to keep their creative juices flowing and their performances vibrant and fun, according to Mikus.
Like a lot of bands, they have a few rituals before concerts. Oellerich and Mikus do vocal warmups, while Ost polishes his drum cymbals. The guitarists also do hand exercises to keep their fingers nimble. Afterward, doughnuts are welcome. To get a head start, they often drive to the next venue right after a concert.
“This band has been doing a minimum of 200 shows a year for 25 years,” Mikus said.
That activity includes accompanying or opening for many top-named acts, including the Charlie Daniels Band, The Doobie Brothers, .38 Special, Bret Michaels, REO Speedwagon and Eddie Money.
The group recently filmed a video in Los Angeles. They played dates in Tennessee and will be in Sturgis, S.D. at month’s end.
“I’m really excited here forward,” Mikus said from his newly constructed home studio in Callahan.
“We’re looking forward to creating Big Engine music,” he added. “I know the fans are looking forward to it.”