GHOST OF A GENTLEMAN—Morristown, NJ
I came across a very cool and laid back alt-rock band performing at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ this Friday night (5/25). The name of the band is Ghost of a Gentleman, and they are not typically the type of band that I listen to, but I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed them after listening to the CD’s title track “Empty Room”, “Front”, “Masquerade Ball” and who can hate a band with a song titled “Garden State of Mind.” In a time when the music scene has no identity, it’s music like that that makes you feel optimistic about the Jersey music scene’s future.
According to their bio, Ghost of a Gentleman is a four-piece alternative rock band from Morristown. Yeah, these guys don’t like to label themselves as “rock” since they incorporate elements from many different sub-genres like punk, pop-punk, post-hardcore, and even a little emo, but since I’m writing about them, and I calls it how I hears it, they sound like an alt-rock band! Ghost of a Gentleman consists of singer and guitarist Conor Palecek, guitarist James Castle, bassist Kevin Short, and drummer Riley Kissenberth. This lineup was finalized in the summer of 2015. Ghost of a Gentleman draws their influences from bands like Brand New and Title Fight, as they rely on raw, emotional climaxes blended with melodic verses to create a sound reminiscent of the hardcore punk scene of the mid-2000s. In late December 2016, the band suffered a devastating loss in the passing of original lead singer and founding member, James Kelly. The band’s latest CD, Empty Room was released in February 2017, and was dedicated to James.
Ghost of a Gentleman made their radio debut, performing live at Brave New Radio (WPSC) at William Patterson University in February 2017. Their performance earned them consistent radio play at the station and eventually they would earn a spot at the campus’s Braveathon live music event in April. Ghost of a Gentleman calls themselves the epitome of what a DIY band really is. They’ve built everything from their own speaker cabinets to pedal-boards to lighting systems to stage props, as well as producing, mixing, and mastering all of their own music. Ghost of a Gentleman is still currently performing in support of Empty Room. Catch them live this Friday night at Dingbatz in Clifton or check them out online at Facebook.com/ghostofagentleman.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bud’s from Mikell’s Plot are performing the third annual “Rockin’ The Relay For a Cure” this Friday night (5/25) at the Kenilworth VFW in Kenilworth. All proceeds from this event go to the Relay For Life Of Union. Also performing will be Accelerators, Sonic Rodeo, and Cory Singer. If you can’t make this show, Mikell’s Plot will be opening for Sponge on July 20 at the Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ. For more info on these shows, visit Mikellsplot.com.
Have you checked out Corevalay’s new music video from their song “Rewind” off of their latest EP, Forever? Why not? The song kicks some major booty! It looks like it was filmed at the Stanhope House and the old Mexicali Live in Teaneck. If you’ve never been to a Corevalay show, “Rewind” gives you a little insight on what you’re missing. I love singer Phil Barbetta’s voice and the riffs in this song are so monstrous! I also got to check out Phil’s Foo Fighter’s Tribute band with my bass bro Mike Ferreira on bass called Best of Foo on YouTube! They are fantastic! Anyway, check out Corevalay’s new music video for “Rewind” at youtu.be/lYfD7ce6Roc. For more on Corevalay, visit Corevalay.com.
And finally, my brothers from BoundAlive, who made their triumphant return back in March at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville opening for Monster Magnet, will be returning the Starland stage on Saturday, June 16 when they open for Geoff Tate’s Operation Mindcrime. Geoff Tate performs the iconic CD in its entirety to celebrate the CDs Thirtieth Anniversary! Also performing will be Ripped and Till Death Do Us Part. Check out BoundAlive’s new lyric video for their song “Blame” on BoundAlive.com, where you can also pick up your discounted tix for the Starland show on June 16.
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:
5/23—Lane Six Presents: SubVerse/Obsidion/The Cheap Moves/Late Nights—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/25—Helmet/Prong—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/25—Ghost of a Gentlemen/Life Slides Down/See Plus/The Lousekateers/Broth—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/25—Lieder—Roxy and Duke’s Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
5/25—Mikell’s Plot/Accelerators/Sonic Rodeo/Cory Singer—V.F.W., Kenilworth, NJ
5/25—Jersey Campfires Production Presents Sister Salvation/Apollo Sonders/Gathering After Ashes/The Last Martyr/Steel Spade Syndicate—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
5/26—Shiffley/Mad Meg/Panama Dreams/Darn It All/The Big Swim—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/26—Tilted—Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
6/2—18th and Addison/Sonic Blume/Sugar Trip—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
6/3—All That Remains/Negative Sky/Eye on Attraction/Gears—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
6/3—Behind the Bullet—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/7—Danny Diablo and Mars/Full Scale Riot—QXT’s, Newark, NJ
6/7—Seven Spires/Hate Storm Annihilation/Erciyes Fragment/Sacred Ash—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/15—Jersey Campfires Presents: Arc’d Angel/Sinertia/From The Concrete/Blud Red Roses—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
6/16—BoundAlive/Ripped/Till Death Do Us Part/Geoff Tate’s Operation Mindcrime—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
6/16—Lane Six Birthday Bash Tribute Night with Reality Suite/Tempt/New Day Dawn/Lunatic Fringe—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
6/22—Adolescents/Electric Frankenstein/Jon Caspi and the First Gun/Executors—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
6/23—The Pain Method “What Doesn’t Kill You…” Release Show/Blud Red Roses/Defcon -1/Lobster Chicken/Vision Serpent—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/29—Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
6/30—Ropetree (CD Release Party)/Vextion/Lower The Veil/December Morning—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
