(By JAMES DUFRESNE)

Christian Shields, musician, singer, and songwriter, is aiming to revive the Austin, Texas rock ‘n’ roll scene. The Warwick, Rhode Island native has been involved in music since he was 6. Starting with the clarinet throughout elementary school, at age 12, he saw a video of Paul Stanley from KISS rocking out and was instantly inspired to learn guitar.

“[Rock] is what I grew up with as a kid. My dad played it around the house,” he says. “The whole spectacle and the attitude, as well as the lifestyle of it is really attractive to me.”

Christian plans on ramping up his performance schedule this year, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. He is eager to bring rock ‘n’ roll back to the masses and intends on hitting most of the Texas markets on his upcoming tour. Then, expanding across the country by June 2022.

After coming to Austin in the fall of 2015, Christian prepared an album, which coincidentally dropped the same day as the COVID-19 lockdown. He had been working on lining up promotions and fine-tuning everything for release.

“But after that, it was a rough ride,” he says. “Everything was in limbo. Nobody saw any of this coming.”

Christian says he has used this downtime as an opportunity to both connect and to practice with his band, in order to be ready for touring again.

Christian has been playing guitar for 18 years now, and needed the right people to help bring his project to life. He performs with a backup band, including guitarist Marshall Benson, bassist Jake Allard and drummer Rom Gov.

“When I was looking for a drummer I asked, ‘Who was the best guy in Austin?’ And I heard Rom Gov’s name come up numerous times, from numerous people.”

Christian met Marshall while interning at a studio when he had first moved to Austin. He helped engineer a record with the band First Year Fight.

“When we first met, he didn’t really like me. So it was touch and go for a little bit. But ultimately, we ended up becoming friends and we work really well together.”

He originally had another bass player named Justin Sadillo, but now he is out working on other things.

“Jake Allard had come out to our first show, and fast forward 10 shows later he was a part of our lineup,” he says.

Some of Christian’s greatest musical inspirations are Paul Stanley from KiSS, Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, and Tom Keifer from Cinderella. all of whom find different ways to manifest themselves within his work.

“There has been a lot of division in the world lately. But there is only one politic, one religion, and one creed that brings us all together. And that is rock ‘n’ roll.”

With dates locked in, Christian and his band prepare to remind the state what rock and roll is about with three shows in Texas this month.

Christian Shields is playing:

• March 10, 2022 @ Come and Take it Live 6:30 p.m.
• March 11, 2022 @ The Deadhorse Bar 9 p.m.
• March 13. 2022 @ Main at South Side 6:30 p.m.
  www.christianshieldsrocks.com