My bros from Audio Empire headed into the studio last weekend to start laying down drums and bass tracks for their debut full-length CD, which bassist Roy Brunston says is “long overdue.” It should be pretty interesting to hear new music from these fellows. You catch them next Friday night (10/24) at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ when they dress up as KISS in full makeup to do a full KISS set followed by a full Audio Empire set. For more info, visit audioempireband.com.
Speaking of my bros, a huge high five to my bro Steve “Steve-O” Brown from Trixter for landing the gig of a lifetime filling in for the ailing legendary guitarist Vivian Campbell in Def Leppard. That’s right! Steve-O went from playing places like The Grasshopper in Morristown, NJ to playing festivals this past summer with his band, the mighty Trixter, to now performing as the guitarist for Def Leppard. What? Who does that? Steve Brown does! As for Vivian Campbell, he had to undergo stem-cell treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We wish him a speedy recovery, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it would be awesome to catch a show with Steve playing guitar for the Lepps! For more on Steve Brown, visit stevebrownmusic.biz.
A couple of weekends ago, a new supergroup, of sorts, made their Jersey debut at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. The name of the band is Pink Velvet Krush, which is made of up former members from ’80s bands Bulletboys, Britny Fox, Steelheart, Vaudeville, Dust N’ Bones and Surrender. Now, I know what you’re thinking, Pink Velvet Krush sounds like a little girl’s game, but these guys are far from little girls playing big boy music. Their music is a bit of a throwback to when rock was fun to listen to. The songs “Ball And Chain” and “One Shot” really take you back to that time period. You can catch these guys live at Blackthorn 51 in Elmhurst, NY this Saturday night (10/18). For more on Pink Velvet Krush, log onto pvkrush.com.
In some bittersweet news, my bass brother Rich Mollo from the band Charetta has decided to step down as the band’s bass player and leader after seven years of service. According to the band, Mollo will be sorely missed for his “leadership, professionalism, and his level of dedication that is not often seen in this industry.” Sounds like they were talking about Derek Jeter! Anyway, Charetta decided to say goodbye to Mollo the only way that they know how. With a show! This Thursday night (10/16), Charetta will be opening for Flyleaf at the Gramercy Theatre in NYC, which they are calling Mollo’s farewell show. Talk about going out with a bang, huh? For more on this show and tickets, visit charetta.com. Don’t worry about Mollo, though. He’s not going anywhere. He’s in a new project already called Otan Vargas, which I will be featuring in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on these guys because they kick ass too! Check them out at otanvargas.com.
And finally, don’t forget this Friday night (10/17) at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, my buds from Aurin will be celebrating the release of their debut CD, Catharsis, with a CD release party also featuring my bros from Voodoo Terror Tribe, Lethal Affection and Midnight Eternal. Grab your copy of Catharsis now at Best Buy, Amazon, FYE and wherever CDs are still sold. For more on the gang from Aurin, visit aurinband.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:
10/16—MILLIONAIRES/LANDON TEWERS/Robbie Maxx/Monday Night Bear Claw/Brendan Starr—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/16—Charetta/Flyleaf—The Gramercy Theatre, NYC
10/17—Aurin/Voodoo Terror Tribe/Lethal Affection/Midnight Eternal—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
10/18—Pink Velvet Krush—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
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—Scarlet Silence/Sinsanity/Cracked Alice/The Dark Matters/REVEL 9/Aurin—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, 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
11/1—Sardonica/Slaughtered Grace/Robots And Monsters—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
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
