Local Band Motogruv Semi-Finalist in Music Competition

By day, Corinne Reif is an administrative assistant for a local medical device company, her hair in a bun and glasses slung over her nose.

But at night, the 33-year-old is transformed into a heavy metal rock star, a singer whose powerful voice (and brightly colored hair) has been turning heads since 2006.

Reif is the lead vocalist for Petaluma hard rock band Motogruv, that was recently selected as one of nine semifinalists in the Hard Rock Café’s Hard Rock Rising Contest. The group, which includes bass player Matt O’Shea, drummer Nick Wester and guitarist Dustin Smart, beat out of hundreds of Bay Area bands for the title.

“I thought I’d give it a shot,” Reif says of submitting the group’s song “Nowhere & Here.” “I put it on our Facebook page and asked our friends to vote for us. I was shocked that we went this far.”

Now the band will compete against eight other bands during the March 7 semifinals at Hard Rock Cafe in San Francisco. If selected, Motogruv gets a shot at playing at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London's Hyde Park this July.

"We need people to come out and cheer us on," says Reif.

Motogruv’s sound is pure heavy metal, influenced by the likes of Guns N Roses and Black Sabbath, but they are also as Petaluma as they come. Back in the ‘90s, three of the four members met at Casa Grande High School’s music program and became fast friends. They lost touch over the years, but reconnected and started the band in 2006 and regularly perform gigs throughout Sonoma County.

Listen to some of Motogruv’s music here and catch them at Hard Rock Café’s Semifinals, playing March 6, 7 and 8 at Hard Rock Café in San Francisco.

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