(Photo by Miguel Aviles)
I just heard a great rock back out of Paramus, NJ, who call themselves Asphalt Grey. Where the hell have these guys been hiding? I know I’ve had them on my concert calendar in the past, but I guess I’ve never given them a listen until now. Holy crap! They are bad ass! I love the grit in singer Rob Janos’ nostalgic sounding rock voice. The songs “Dear Anonymous,” “Gunslinger,” and “Lie Low, Die Slow” are all killer tracks with very cool grooves to them. I’m not sure how these guys from the next town over from me slipped through the cracks.
According to their bio, Asphalt Grey was formed back in 2010 with the desire to bring rock and roll back it to its roots. Well, from the sounds of it, I think they come pretty damn close. The band is made up of singer and guitarist Rob Janos, guitarist Ronnie Sena, bassist Alyssa Menes, and drummer Zoe Ekonomidis. This rock quartet has channeled the classic rock gods like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones while bringing something entirely new to the table. Since forming the band, Asphalt Grey have made quite a name for themselves on the underground music scenes of New York and New Jersey at venues like The Bitter End, City Winery, Arlene’s Grocery, Mercury Lounge, Don Hill’s, Kenny’s Castaways, Sullivan Hall, Maxwell’s and The Stone Pony, driving crowds into a dancing frenzy with their patented brand of rock and roll. In 2012, Asphalt Grey released their debut full-length CD, Sinners, Tricksters, Killers and Saints, a cohesive, dynamic CD purposely designed to be enjoyed by audiences both live and while blaring on your car stereo speakers. The following summer, the band released a six-song EP they called Forgetmenot, which helped to showcase the band’s new powerful sound and elevated songwriting ability.
This past spring, Asphalt Grey released their latest EP, Beaten Black ‘N Blues, which they recorded with producer Don DeBiase from Standby Records in Cleveland, Ohio, and mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Chris Sulit at Trading 8’s Studios in their hometown of Paramus. Asphalt Grey are currently out supporting Beaten Black ‘N Blues. These guys are as rock ‘n’ roll as rock ‘n’ roll gets. For more info on Asphalt Grey and to find out where they’re playing next, visit Facebook.com/AsphaltGreymusic.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
One EP that I’m looking forward to and comes out next week (8/25) is the new Harvest Falls. Guitarist Marc Bernuy sent me a song called “Waiting on the Edge” and the song is awesome! Singer Ronnie Cinnella’s vocals sound amazing on this song. The harmonies, the hook and the guitar work really have me salivating for more. I featured these guys a couple of years ago and it’s awesome to hear how much they’ve grown musically. For more on Harvest Falls, visit Facebook.com/HarvestFalls.
My buds from Set It Free will be performing their first show in five years, and they’ll be doing it for a great cause. They’ll be raising money to aid a 16-month-old boy who was recently diagnosed with Retinoblastoma cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at a children’s hospital in Philadelphia. The problem is that the hospital is not accepting the kid’s parents’ insurance, which can be pretty expensive. The kid’s father, Tyler, plays drums for another local band called Breathing Blue, who is also on the bill for this benefit. The show will be taking place tomorrow night (8/18) at River Rock Restaurant and Marina Bar in Brick, NJ. Stop in to help out Tyler’s son and celebrate the return of Set It Free after five years away from the scene. For more info, visit Facebook.com/SetItFree.
And finally, the boys from Psychoprism will be releasing their debut full-length CD, Creation, in September, and they’ll be celebrating the CD’s release with a release party at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on September 17. This will be the first and only time the band will perform the CD from beginning to end in its entirety. Also performing the CD release party will be my bros from Voodoo Terror Tribe and Paralysis. For more info on the party, visit Psychoprism.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:
8/17—Windfaerer/Eikthyrnir/Xenophile/Fiakra/Galare—Meatlocker, Montclair, NJ
8/17—Jersey Campfires Presents Triple Scoop/Blue Lizard/The Prodigal Sons/Rodent—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/17—Nalani and Sarina—The Bitter End, NYC
8/18—Deathspells (featuring Frank Iero and James Dewees)—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
8/18—Darren Deicide/Jauncey/Silo/The Poison Apples/Entierralos/Asphalt Grey—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/18—GDP/Young Zee/Big Breakfast/Wicca Phase Springs Eternal/Esseks—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/19—Black Satellite/Bobby Mahoney and the Seventh Son/Dead Rocking Horse—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
8/20—Negative Sky—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
8/20—Eternal Black/Tarpit Boogie/Doperider/Heavy Coughin’/Deth Kaktus—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/21—Eels Of Love/Triple Scoop/Canopy Veil/Planetary Alignment/Replicant/Sycarian/Sleepless Empire—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/23—Negative Sky—Webster Hall, NYC
8/23—Reaping Asmodeia/Eulogist/Funghoul/Deadtide—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/24—Jersey Campfire Presents: Asphalt Grey/The Clocktown Giants/Cara Crash and CRASH NY/Collective Man—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/25—White-Washed Walls/Mayday Humanity/Rebels Over Flames/Wicked Hollow—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/25—Lane Six Entertainment Presents Bad William/No More Pain/The Highschool Superstars/The Mighty Nothings—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/26—Serious Matters/The High School Superstars/Albino Woodchucks—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/26—Lane Six Entertainment Presents Eels of Love/Half-Witted Dogs/The Schwam/Lion-Hearted—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/28—From the Depths/The Blessings of this Curse/Monument of a Memory/Ocean of Illusions/Obisdian/Eulogy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/30—Something About You/Whisper/Ashes of My Regret/Set For Tomorrow/Nora Stone—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/31—Blastaways/The Jersey Panic/Joseph James McCabe—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
8/31—The Ataris/Gary Bender/Matt Fed—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
9/3—Steve Bello Band/Rob Balducci/John Kiernan—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
9/14—The Alex Skolnick Trio—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
9/17—Psychoprism CD Release Party/Voodoo Terror Tribe/Paralysis—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
