When I saw that the band Reality Suite was performing a full set of Mötley Crüe songs on Oct. 24 at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ with my bros from Audio Empire, who will be performing a full KISS set in full KISS makeup, I obviously became curious of this band who was brave enough to pull off a set full of Mötley Crüe songs. So, I gave them a listen and I liked what I heard. Singer Kimmii Adorea Heart’s voice is strong and powerful, which I found to be similar to Charetta singer Angelina DelCarmen’s voice, who I feel sets the bar when it comes to frontwomen on the NYC/NJ music scene. The songs that I heard that best showcased Kimmii’s voice were “Playing With Fire” and “Vegas Holiday.” Those songs were pretty badass.
According to their bio, Reality Suite formed back in 2009 from the ashes of three bands, who were no strangers to the NYC/NJ music scene—Copperpot, 10 Heads High, who are North Jersey Notes alumni, and Fly Me Courageous, also NJN alumni. Reality Suite was formed by three lifelong friends in drummer Brian King, bassist Antonio Valenti and guitarist Joe Padula. Their goal as a band was to musically satisfy themselves rather than follow music’s current trends. The trio partnered up with Venezuelan singer and actress, Miriam Pinedo, who brought a mix of rock, pop and dance into the songwriting process, and Reality Suite was born. In May 2010, Reality Suite released their first single, “Evolution Queen” from the EP Blueprints For Building A Better _____, which garnered the band some attention with former Jive Records A&R rep Mozy Mosanko. In May 2012, the band would release their sophomore CD, Avoiding The Red Lights, which brought the band some much needed media attention. Following the release of Avoiding The Red Lights, Reality Suite released a holiday single and donated the proceeds to the American Red Cross for Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.
In May 2013, Miriam Pinedo would leave Reality Suite, leaving the door open for Kimmii Adorea Heart, who joined the band in September 2013. In April, the band released their singles “Playing With Fire” and “Vegas Holiday,” which showed a newer more rock direction for the band. After hearing Kimmii’s voice, I would have to say they made the right decision. Her voice is pretty powerful. Catch Reality Suite live at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ on Oct. 24 as they perform a full set of Mötley Crüe. If you can’t make that show, check Reality Suite out online at realitysuite.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
The guys from Mother released a new music video for their song “Ghost” off of their latest release, A New Life, which they put out back in March. The video was produced by Richard Giannotti, and was shot over the past year at various shows, rehearsals and recording sessions. A New Life is available now on iTunes and wherever CDs are sold. Check out Mother’s video for ghost now at youtu.be/vJv2kmSdkNw and find out more about Mother at rockyourmother.com.
Speaking of new videos, my girl Madysin Hatter has a new music video out for her song “Lightning Strikes Twice,” which is also available as a single via iTunes. Madysin and her crew head out to L.A. in the fall to open for Cinderella’s Tom Keifer and Winger at the legendary Whiskey A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip. Check out Madysin Hatter’s music video for “Lightning Strikes Twice” on YouTube at bit.ly/Y2ap18. For more on Madysin Hatter, log onto madysinhatter.com.
And finally, I’ve been meaning to mention this for the past couple of weeks, but now I need to. A few weeks ago, I was at Rahway’s rehearsal studio jamming with Dave Cardenas from Rahway, but while we were setting up, I heard a song and a voice that I’ve never heard before, and it seemed it wasn’t the radio. It turns out it was Dave’s brother and Rahway drummer, Steve Cardenas, in the control room writing some music and singing. I could not believe the soulful voice that I was hearing. According to Dave, Steve is the heart and soul of Rahway, which I never knew before. Steve has been filming himself performing these songs acoustically, and they are amazing. The song that I heard was called “While I Lie Awake,” and I have to say I was blown away. If you’re not a friend of Steve Cardenas on Facebook, you need to be and check out these songs. Rahway’s new singer will blow you away too! For more on Rahway, log onto rahwayband.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:
10/9—In Our Glory/Out Of Ashes/Crash The Bear/September’s Ghost/Answer Infinity—Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
10/10—Methane/Pralaya—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/11—Syka/Lacuna Coil/Devil You Know/Starset—Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, NY
10/14—Agent Orange—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
10/14—Hookers ‘N’ Blow/Daisy Berkowitz—The Bowery Electric, NYC
10/16—MILLIONAIRES/LANDON TEWERS/Robbie Maxx/Monday Night Bear Claw/Brendan Starr—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/17—Aurin/Voodoo Terror Tribe—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/18—Put Under/Stagger/Lower The Veil/Scars Of Envy/Dead Wings/Eye Of Anubis—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
10/18—Morningside Lane/SHAT—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
10/19—Scottish Windows/Hookers-N-Blow —Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
10/24—Lower The Veil/Sekond Skyn—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/24—New Day Dawn/Knucklebone/Blues Field Drive/Half Normal—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
10/24—Audio Empire/Reality Suite—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
10/25—FORBIDDEN TERRITORY/From The Depths/Ocean Of Illusions/Glass[Houses]/Monument Of A Memory/The Harvest—Radiant, Nutley, NJ
10/25—Seas Of Wake—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/1—Ashes Of Your Enemy/Ixion Lux/Proletariat/Thanatotic Desire/Nuse—Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
11/1—Dick And The Deer Gutters/Sekond Skyn/Ratfarm/Ancora/Headstone Oneeighteen—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
11/2— Aurin/Nonpoint/GEMINI SYNDROME/Three Years Hollow—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
11/2—Voodoo Terror Tribe/GENITORTURERS—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
11/6—Queen V/Molly Adele Brown—The Bitter End, NYC
11/8—End Of An Era/PLANESIDE/The Skinney/Through The Grey/Paris Under Fire—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
11/8—Beyond Fallen/Psychoprism/Crime X Scene—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/28—Queen V—Rockwood Music Hall, NYC
