As I’m sitting here looking at some of the upcoming shows in Jersey, I came across the Tesla show on April 20 at the Starland Ballroom. What caught my eye was one of the opening acts, Voices of Extreme. Did that mean Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt were doing a duet show? No, it didn’t! In fact, Voices of Extreme are a power trio out of NYC featuring one of favorite local drummers, Jordan Cannata. Jordan was the drummer for Adrenaline Mob and most recently Stereo Satellite, featuring Lukas Rossi from Rockstar Supernova and his brother, Jared Cannata, on guitar. Anyway, I gave Voices of Extreme a listen and they’re pretty good! I listened to a song called “Martyr,” “Call My Name,” “Unbroken,” and an interesting cover of the Debbie Gibson classic “Foolish Beat.” Singer Don Chaffin, from the bands Ram Jam and Red Lamb, has such a killer voice!
Voices of Extreme is a coming from the depths of New York City. The band’s history actually dates back to 2004, and they were originally co-managed by Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain and David Swales from Affinity Management. The band’s debut album was produced by former Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz, who was actually in Red Lamb with Don Chaffin. Voices of Extreme would become active again in 2017, when they embarked on two separate tours. The first was with vocal legend and former Queensryche front man, Geoff Tate, on his acoustic tour. The second was a 21-city North American run with Tesla. I believe my boys Weapons of Anew were on that tour as well.
Anyway, it looks like the boys from Voices of Extreme massaged that relationship with Tesla, because they have a bunch of shows with them again this year! As they prepare for their stop at Starland (which also includes The Cringe), make sure to grab your tickets and show some support for these guys. I’ll keep an eye on them, and maybe even have Rahway do a show with them. Check them out for yourself, and take a look at their music video for “Tell Me What It Takes” at VoicesofExtreme.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My friend and owner of Pure Ink Tattoo in Ledgewood, NJ, Danny Pain, posted an extremely cryptic message on Facebook recently with the logo for the band Child, a local hard rock favorite on the North Jersey music scene back in the nineties, featuring my bros John Kosco, Chris Hawkins, and my former Smoke Star guitarist Justin Bondy. The post with the logo read, “For those of you who know and remember…. Something may be coming. Just sayin’.” This is fantastic news if this is true. Danny says to stay tuned—more info on the way. So, stay tuned!
Speaking of John Kosco, the former Dropbox and Saint Caine head honcho has a new project called Revel At Dusk featuring some amazing musicians in former Saint Caine guitarist Vincent Sia, former Lethal Affection drummer Cameron Rozell and one of my favorite bass players and current Stone Sour bassist, Johny Chow. No music has been posted on the page yet, but I’m sure it’s coming—and if I know Kosco, it’s going to be killer! Keep an eye out at Facebook.com/revelatdusk…. And finally, my little bros in Brand of Julez have released their debut music video for their latest single, “Take It All Away,” directed by Christian Lawrence. The song kicks some serious ass and I’m happy the boys finally decided to shoot a video for it. I just can’t believe it’s their first music video after all this time. The band heads back out on the road in May, on the West Coast, with the band Messer from Dallas. That should be an amazing run for the boys. Check out the new music video for “Take It All Away” at Facebook.com/BrandofJulez.
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:
4/18—Black Dawn/Lynch Mob—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
4/20—Tokyo Motor Fist/Starz (Performing a special extended set)/Tempt—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
4/20—The Cringe/Voices of Extreme/Tesla—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
4/20—Feudale/Steel Spade Syndicate/21 Kings/Gravitation/Nobody From Jersey—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/23—Combichrist/Silver Snakes—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
4/24—Steve Bello/Uli Jon Roth—The Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ
4/25—Enuff Z’Nuff/Dirty Black 7—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/26—Jersey Campfires Production Presents Newborn KINGS/Barren One/Lunatic Fringe—Roxy and Duke’s Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
4/27—Blaze Bayley/Mindmaze/Ogre/Lobster Chicken—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
4/28—Dead End(CD Release)/See Plus/Cold-Blooded Capitol/Spitphyre—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/1—Jess Peri/Jackie June/Briana Musco/Kory Hilpmann—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/2—A Pale Horse Named Death—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/3—Borgo Pass/Killcode/Inner Strength/Last In Line—Mulcahy’s, Wantagh, NY
5/3—Vessel of Light/Black Water Rising/Shiwan Khan/Reaper/Mindrazer—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/4—Rahway/Another Days Armor/Black Dawn/Skid Row—Starland Ballroom, Syareville, NJ
5/4—Jersey Campfires Productions Presents 12 Stones/Arc’d Angel/Answer Infinity/NASH/GAA—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
5/4—Brand of Julez—Katie’s Of Smithtown, Smithtown, NY
5/4—Eyes of the Living/TG Company Band/Lokane—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/5—Cinco De Mayo Fest: Every Mother’s Nightmare/Cold Blooded Capitol/The Infection/Mark Kasturas—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/10—Dinosaur Eyelids—Championship Bar and Music Club, Trenton, NJ
5/10—Michael Angelo Batio/Steve Bello—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
