Concert Series Gets Things Started
by ICX
2007 begins with a bang as The Inside Connection presents its Premium Spotlight Concert at the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts on January 13. Six local bands will take the stage and play their hearts out for A&R record label reps and the music industry. This will be the culmination of the past year of Spotlight Concert Series shows at area venues, where some 50 or so bands worked on developing their fan bases.
The bands that will be performing are a good representation of our diverse rock scene: Andrejack, A Farewell Fire, Korro, Pierre’s Madness, Surviving Sunrise and Silent Generosity. If you visit www.insidecx.com you will find links to their websites, where you can hear sound samples and find out more information. You can also listen to archives of the Indie Connection radio show that The Inside Connection presents, including specialty podcasts.
The Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts also runs what they call "Live in the Lobby," a series of concerts for small audiences held on the first Thursday of every month in the theater lobby. Live in the Lobby features artists from the Long Island area playing mostly original music in an intimate setting. For more information visit
www.myspace.com/liveinthelobbyatptpa.
Another theater opening its stage to Long Island artists is the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bayshore. Last month Bandcamp celebrated the release of their CD Wanna Dance there and booking agent Michele Rizzo held a local music showcase with the Kelly Project. Due to the success of those two shows, the next local artist live showcase happens January 20 with local heroes Nine Days and the band Grieving for Grace. The following week, on January 26, local blues legend Little Toby Walker takes the stage, and a few days later Levittown’s own Kevin Covais from American Idol makes an appearance.
Veteran Long Island punk rock and roll act the Crusher (formerly known as Jones Crusher) will release their long-awaited third full-length CD, Deliver Us From Emo, with a CD release party at the Crazy Donkey on January 11. The band is highly regarded among punk rock luminaries like John Holmes (Punk magazine) and Rich Black (Under The Volcano), and notorious for their wild stage antics and sonic ferocity. The band formed in the mid-1990s as Jones Crusher and quickly established themselves as a powerful punk trio with blistering guitar work, snotty vocals and a warped sense of humor. After a few personnel changes, founding member Sean Sanders shortened the name of the band to the Crusher, and these days plays with Tom Cavanagh (Bent Pussycat) on bass and vocals and Big Bill Williams (Robert Gordon Band) on drums. Go to
www.myspace.com/thecrushermusic to hear songs from the new CD.
Joining them on the bill is a new band from Audio Magick Studios called Pete Sanchez, a garage four-piece who are also releasing their CD, Walk On The Sun. Pete Sanchez is a band featuring two sets of brothers. To hear samples of their music, go to www.myspace.com/petesanchez.
Audio Magick is where you can find the beloved soundman from the Downtown in Farmingdale, George Marshall. He’s been quite busy there, having worked on the recent Twisted Christmas project with Long Island Music Hall of Fame inductees Twisted Sister, along with Antigone Rising. The studio is also home to the Loaded Rock Show that airs on RadioX. You can find out more at www.myspace.com/audiomagick.
Speaking of RadioX ... The J, host of RadioXposed, celebrated the one-year anniversary of the airing of the radio show with a two-hour broadcast and live concert at McCoy's in Commack. The live show featured performances from Pierre’s Madness, Render, Tragic Orange and Chiba-Ken, and the audience was comprised of the many artists the J had spun or interviewed on RadioXposed.
RadioXposed airs Friday nights at 7 p.m. and features CD cuts and interviews from Long Island artists. To find out how to get your music on the show, visit www.myspace.com/thej.
Rick Eberle of the band Iridesense also runs Popcore.net and has begun to book for the Vintage Lounge in addition to other New York area venues. Eberle has begun to schedule "featured" acts during the Vintage Lounge Tuesday Open Mics, and will choose acts to perform at a First Fridays Showcase Series along with other Popcore promotional events. For details, visit www.myspace.com/popcorepromotion or e-mail rickus76@yahoo.com.
The band Soundside snagged themselves a nice gig at the Sunrise Mall as part of their holiday show, regaling shoppers with their originals and Christmas carols alike. They will play the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston on January 20 and return to New York to play The Inside Connection’s Spotlight Concert Series show at the Hairy Lemon in Selden. Visit www.myspace.com/soundside for more information.
