Where have all these great up-and-coming Jersey bands been hiding? Once again, I’ve come across another great band out of Kearny, NJ that I’ve never heard of before. The name of the band is A Midnight Tragedy and they are really, really good! I noticed they were playing Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ next Thursday night (8/20) with my buds from SHIFT, Ascending From Ashes and Chevonne And The Fuzz. So, I decided to check out their Facebook page where I got to hear the songs “Torment,” which was an extremely well-written song with cool gang vocals, “Nightmare,” which lived up to its name with a catchy hooky chorus, and “Rapture,” which also had a great hook. The songs on this site had some great energy that really packed a punch musically speaking. Singer Dallas Sanchez really makes you feel these songs with his high-energy vocals and emotion. Need I say more?
According to their bio, A Midnight Tragedy is a four-piece (plus one) rock band from Kearny and was formed by singer Dallas Sanchez and drummer Dan Mennella back in the winter of 2005. Bassist John Leonti joined A Midnight Tragedy in 2006. It was around this time that the band would release their first self-titled EP that would lead to them taking the main stage at Starland Ballroom’s Summer Campout Music Festival in 2007 and the New Jersey leg of Vans Warped Tour. Following a successful jaunt on the road, A Midnight Tragedy parted ways with the band’s original guitarist and founding member Chris “River” Rivera and was replaced by guitarist Ryan Sinisi. In 2008, the band would release their first full-length CD, Reinventing The End, which earned the band even more positive feedback, and by 2009, A Midnight Tragedy would reach Myspace’s “Top 10 NJ Bands” music charts. In 2010, A Midnight Tragedy, once again, saw some changes in their lineup. Guitarist Ryan Sinisi left the band, making room for the band’s current guitarist and old friend of Dallas and Dan, Esteban Pastor, who slid seamlessly into their ranks. A Midnight Tragedy would carry their momentum into the studio to record what would become their second full-length CD, I Tried To Make You Immortal, You Tried To Make Me A KILLER, which created some local buzz for the band.
In 2013, the band headed back in the studio for CD number three, Lost Under The Infinite Sorrow, which they released in August of 2014. The band has since added backup singer Valerie Maniscalco to their lineup, which I’m sure really brings out those harmonies live. I am curious to see these guys in a live setting because if the energy that is coming out of their recordings is any indication of their live show, you can bet your ass that these guys can bring it. Catch A Midnight Tragedy live next Thursday at Mexicali Live in Teaneck with SHIFT, Ascending From Ashes and Chevonne And The Fuzz. Or, find out where they’re playing next by logging onto Facebook.com/AMidnightTragedy.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned SYKA’s remake of the Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne classic “Close My Eyes Forever” featuring American Idol and Rock Of Ages alumni, Constantine Maroulis, which I’m still blown away by. Well, Jesyka Loren and her gang from SYKA released their latest EP, Stay Wild, a little less than a month ago. I got to hear the CD and these guys have really grown as songwriters through the years. The EP features the title track, “Rattle The Cage,” “Suffer In Silence” and the first single off of the CD, “Shock Me.” Jesyka’s amazing vocals and the music complement each other perfectly. For more info on SYKA and their latest EP, Stay Wild, visit SYKA.net.
Has anyone heard former Black Water Rising guitarist John Fattaruso’s new band with his former Stereomud bandmate and Life Of Agony guitarist, Joey Z? The name of the band is Zire’s War and I’ve mentioned these guys before, but I finally got to hear a good recording of their song “Warrior.” Wow! Talk about a punch in the teeth and running. I feel like a got hit by a Mack truck after listening to that song. It’s a cross between metal and NYC hardcore. I like it! Check out “Warrior” at soundcloud.com/joey-zampella/zires-war-warrior-demo. For more on Zire’s War, visit Facebook.com/ZiresWar.
And finally, those have been asking me in person, yes, I will be playing bass for the band Rahway. I will being joining my longtime bros, the Cardenas brothers (Dave and Steve), as they continue their musical journey without their brother, Bobby Paffrath, whose big shoes I will be filling. My first show with the band will be opening for the legendary Spaceman from KISS, Ace Frehley, at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on Sept. 25 with Brand Of Julez and Knucklebone. Obviously, now I have to sell tickets for this, so contact me at the email address below or hit my up on Facebook, if you’d like to buy a $25 ticket. By the way, this might not be my first show with the band. My first might come a week before the Ace Frehley show. Stay tuned at 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:
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
8/15—Sistine/Control/Killin’it/This Is Me Looking Dangerous/Taking Meds/Original Sharks/Husbandry—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/15—Flathead Sky—The Red Mill Museum, Clinton, NJ
8/20—Nightmare on Elmo’s Street—Dingbatz, Clifton NJ
8/20—SHIFT/Ascending From Ashes/A Midnight Tragedy/Chevonne and The Fuzz—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/21—Gears/Nine Planets—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/21—Crescent Ave./Shattered Skin/Octobrists/Sun and Flesh/Know Your Enemy—The Backstage at Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
8/22—Stagger/Negative Sky/VSSLS/MASS PUNISHMENT/Hawkasian/AMERICAN ANGER—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/22—Rock Against Dystrophy All-Star Edition/Lower The Veil/Brand of Julez—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/27—Silent on Fifth Street/I, Ventriloquist/Robots and Monsters—The Meat Locker, Montclair, NJ
8/29—Flowers to Flames—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
8/29—Raven—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
9/3—Darrow Chemical Co./Children of October/Graveyard Tree—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/6—Mikell’s Plot—Pompton Lakes Day Festival, Pompton Lakes, NJ
9/9—Gothic Knights/Angra—B.B. King’s Blues Club, NYC
9/10—TOTH—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/11—Unearthly/KroW—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/12—Sworn Enemy/Robots and Monsters/Moon Tooth/Unkempt Herald—Maxwell’s Tavern, Hoboken, NJ
9/12—Aurin—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/13—Battlecross/Ashes of Your Enemy/Monument of a Memory/That of a Lion—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/25—Rahway/AceFrehley/Brand of Julez/Knucklebone—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
