(Photo by Jeff Crespi – jeffcrespirocks.com)
So, it seems like the Boras brothers from Flowers To Flames will be making it into North Jersey Notes twice in a month. I recently came across their other band Flathead Sky and I think they’re awesome! I mean, I only got to hear two songs on their SoundCloud page, “Bring You Down” and “Overwhelming,” but I liked what I heard and wanted to hear more. Flathead Sky reached my radar when my old pal and Dingbatz soundman, Rob “Freak” Kimbrough, mentioned them in his status as his new favorite local band. Obviously, I had to give them a listen after reading that endorsement.
According to their bio, the four young members of Flathead Sky met while studying music at the School of Rock, a well-known afterschool music program franchise that combined individual music lessons and group performances at top venues around the Tri-State Area. For Flathead Sky members drummer Ethan Boras, guitarist Max Boras, bassist Zack Kressaty and singer and guitarist Derrick Schneider, the experience gave them the confidence to create their own project featuring original music with a sound influenced by bands like Zeppelin, Zappa, Dream Theater, Judas Priest and Pain Of Salvation. From what I’m hearing, the band delivers an energetic live show of their progressive hard rock, grabbing audiences wherever they play. They made their live debut back in July 2014 at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ.
Flathead Sky released a self-titled debut EP in May 2014, produced by lead guitarist Max Boras, and is available on Spotify and iTunes. I saw a recent video of the band and it sound like they’ve matured so much already. I love finding out about these young bands in Jersey. It just shows that there is a bright future on our music scene as long as people are willing to pay attention and support the local scene. I also love seeing that the Boras brothers are taking this music scene into their own hands one band at a time. For more on Flathead Sky, visit flatheadsky.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My girl Dawn Botti and her band New Day Dawn have decided to lay low this summer from playing shows and touring to write some new music as they prepare to head back into the studio to record their latest CD with producer and Disturbed bassist John Moyer this fall. For more on New Day Dawn, visit NewDayDawn.info.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that my bros from Panzie* have finally found a new singer and they had planned on unleashing their new frontman with a show at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC on Aug. 6. Well, I guess they couldn’t wait and introduced former Starkiller singer Jasin Cadic as their new head honcho via Facebook a couple of weeks ago. I’ve known Jasin for quite a while since my days of playing with Ray West from Spread Eagle. I also followed the Starkiller project while it lasted and I think that Jasin is a perfect fit for Panzie*. I’m just surprised that it took this long for the two entities to find each other. I, for one, am excited to hear this combination, but I guess I’ll have to get my ass to NYC on Aug. 6 to do so. For more on Panzie* and their new lead singer, Jasin Cadic, visit Panzie.com.
And finally, my bros from Negative Sky are looking for a second guitarist who can tour. They are looking for a “shredder with a strong knowledge of music theory, a professional attitude and most of all, they must be drug and drama free.” This is a great opportunity for any local guitar player looking for rock stardom. Negative Sky are putting the finishing touches on their debut CD and they actually do have label backing. If this sounds like you, send YouTube links of your playing to Zenergyent@gmail.com. For more on Negative Sky, visit Facebook.com/NegativeSkyNJ.
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:
7/30—Furnace Head/Franchise/Monument of a Memory/Please Exist—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/31—Killed the Fixtion/That of a Lion/Eye of the Destroyer/Dead City Crown—The Cup Complex, Linden, NJ
7/31—Stealing Fame/Brand of Julez/Revel 9—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/1—IKILLYA/Driven Mad/Spectral Voices/Fate Breaks Dawn/Robots and Monsters—Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn, NY
8/1—Subcommittee/Bubba Grouch/Till Now/Suitable For Transfer/Eli—Morris Plains VFW 3401, Morris Plains, NJ
8/1—Paralysis/Don Jamieson/Flowers to Flames/Flathead Sky—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
8/1—End of an Era/Daughter Vision/Dissension Rising/Pool Of Thorns—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/1—Black Satellite—Irving Plaza, NYC
8/1—Honor Among Thieves—The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
8/1—White Tiger/Tuned Up—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
8/3—The Last Ten Seconds of Life/Barrier/Left Behind/Towers/Castor’s Hollow/Depreciator/Born A New—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/5—Harvard on the Hill/Automatic 253/For Our Lifetime—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/6—Panzie*/Dead Rocking Horse—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
8/7—Dying Eyes of Sloth/Immortal Suffering/Know Your Enemy/Untombed/ Gathering After Ashes—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/7—Honor Among Thieves/Long Gone Day/The Dirty Stayouts/Legacy/Empire Fallen—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/9—Native Construct/Wings Denied/Outrun The Sun—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/11—Insomnium/Metalfier/Omnium Gatherum—The Gramercy Theatre, NYC
8/14—Killcode/Eve to Adam/Cracked Alice/Crush of Empires—The Bowery Ballroom, NYC
8/14—Flathead Sky—Church of the Nazarene, Paramus, NJ
8/15—ANAKA/Meaxic/Pralaya/Sicada—Santos House Party, NYC
8/21—Gears—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/22—Stagger/VSSLS/MASS PUNISHMENT/Hawkasian/AMERICAN ANGER—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/29—Flowers to Flames—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
