AURIN—Northern NJ
With this week’s band, I did something a little different. I was on Twitter when I noticed a Sarah Anderson had started following me. I didn’t know who she was, so I took a look at her profile and it turned out she was the lead singer of a North Jersey hard rock band called Aurin. Now I was a little curious, so I found them on ReverbNation, and gave them a listen. These kids were pretty good! To be brutally honest, I’m not really a fan a female-fronted hard rock bands because I feel that every one of them is trying to rip off Amy Lee from Evanescence
Is Aurin any different? Nope! But here’s the thing: They do it well, and at the end of the day they’re still writing original music that is awesome! I really liked the heaviness of the song “Holding On,” as well as Anderson’s vocals on “Control” and her diversity on the mellower track “The Edge.” Aurin’s music simply rocks!
The band was formed by guitarist Andrew Wayne back in 2009. Wayne is a multi-instrumentalist and handles the majority of the songwriting in Aurin. The band has seen quite a few lineup changes, but Wayne seems to be surrounded by the right lineup now. Joining him in Aurin is lead singer Sarah Anderson, bassist Mike Cantor and drummer Linda Medina, all of whom come from other now-defunct Jersey bands.
Aurin went into Redemption Studios in Clifton, NJ, back in August with producer Stephan Wojtecki to record their debut full-length CD, The Pre-Inspired Symphony, which they released on iTunes back in early December. It also looks like they’ll be celebrating the CD’s release with a Release Party on Jan. 28 at The Pavillion in Budd Lake, NJ. For more info on Aurin or to purchase their CD, log onto aurinband.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
The boys from Blue Food are pretty close to finishing up their debut full-length CD, which they hope to release in the early part of this New Year. While you’re awaiting this new release, you can catch Blue Food live next Saturday night (Jan. 14) at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ, with Urban Sun and 20 Ton Bridge. For more info on Blue Food, or to find out where they’re performing next, log onto bluefood.com.
Speaking of new releases, my bros from Voodoo Terror Tribe released their latest EP, Stands To Reason, back in November. What I didn’t realize was the band’s amazing rendition of the classic Journey hit “Separate Ways.” I love when bands take a classic song and make it their own and that’s what Voodoo Terror Tribe does with this classic! Check it out for yourself on voodooterrortribe.bandcamp.com.
And finally, if you haven’t already heard me say it, my new band BlackOcean will be opening for Monster Magnet next Saturday night (Jan. 14) at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. The Red Bank natives, Monster Magnet will be performing their 1995 hit album, Dopes To Infinity in its entirety that night. How can you go wrong? Also performing will be Ladykillers, Lords Of Mercy, Life Without Warning and The Black Clouds. This show is sure sellout! For tickets, feel free to email me at tim@theaquarian.com. How’s that for a cheap plug? Oh yeah! Check out my band BlackOcean at blackoceanmusic.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember: We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
1/6—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Willie McBride’s II, Branchburgh, NJ
1/7—Youngblood and Co./Shadetree Mechanics—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
1/7—Shadowplay—Fusion, Cherry Hill, NJ
1/7—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Blackthorn Pub, Parsippany, NJ
1/7—Process of Fusion—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
1/11—Sanitarius/Sanctuary—Gramercy Theatre, NYC
1/12—Shadowplay—Sweeney’s Saloon, Philadelphia, PA
1/13—Darkness Descends—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/13—Evil Eye Pandas/This Dark Day/Jaded Past/Imbolg—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
1/14—Monster Magnet/Black Ocean/Life Without Warning/Lords of Mercy/Ladykiller—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
1/14—Darkness Descends—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/14—Filter Effect—Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA
1/14—Blue Food/Urban Sun/20 Ton Bridge—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
1/14—Don Ryan/No Grave Like the Sea/Yonkersville Marching Society—Matchless, Brooklyn, NY
1/19—Shadowplay—Sweeney’s Saloon, Philadelphia, PA
1/19—Lieder—The Whiskey Bar, Hoboken, NJ
1/19—Lionel Pryor—The Studio @ Webster Hall, NYC
1/20—Whiplash—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/21—Filter Effect—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
1/21—Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez/The Great Fraud—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
1/21—Lionel Pryor—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
