KINGS COUNTY – Orlando, FL
Yes, I’m aware that this says Orlando, Florida, but let me explain. Bassist and singer Rob Dexter tried out for my band Smoke Star many moons ago. We always wanted him in the band, but either he was making the move to Florida, or, he was living down in Florida but came home to New York frequently. Anyway, Rob and I always stayed in touch, and originally, I thought he was playing in a cover band in Florida, but then I learned his band, Kings County won a contest to open for Bon Jovi. What? That’s not all! King’s County recently released their new music video for their song “Blood Stained Adrenaline” off their self-titled debut album, and the song is catchy as hell! How can I not write about some former New Yorkers?
Originally from New York and Massachusetts, Kings County performed throughout the Northeast at all the major venues including the top ski resorts in New England. In 2000, the band was hired by Disney World as the house band at Pleasure Island. For the past 19 years, Kings County has performed over 2000 shows. Along with performances at Disney World, Kings County has played shows from Maine to New Orleans, and internationally at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cancun. The band has also supported American Idol’s Bo Bice on his 2006 tour to an amazing response. In 2011 and 2012, Kings County became the house band for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In 2018, Kings County won the iHeartMusic contest for their song “Take It or Leave It” and earned the band an opening slot for a sold-out Bon Jovi show at the Amway Center, Orlando. Bon Jovi was not the only big-name band Kings County has shared the stage with. They’ve also performed with Ted Nugent, Styx, Hootie and the Blowfish, Joan Jett, .38 Special, Duran Duran, the B-52s, Fuel, and Foreigner.
Kings County is singer and guitarist Steve Bell, singer and bassist Rob Dexter, guitarist Bill Kania (all of whom met while they were in the band Kabang and as members of the Criss Angel Band), and drummer Joe Lopez, who is the only Florida native in the band. Kings County released their debut self-titled album two weeks ago featuring the first single and video “Blood Stained Adrenaline,” their award-winning song “Take It or Leave It,” “All That I Want,” “7 Reasons,” and “Sacrifice.” I need to get my band Rahway to do some shows with these guys whether they are right here in Jersey our down there in Florida. For more on Kings County, visit KingsCountyOfficial.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My brothers from Sixty Miles Down finally released the music video for their song “High Tide” on YouTube. The song is catchy as hell and singer John Mosco has not lost his edge vocally. “High Tide” is the title track to Sixty Miles Down’s new EP. The band recently played their first show in over a decade at the Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ with Killcode. It looks to me like Sixty Miles Down is definitely back and they’re ready to make a statement. For more on Sixty Miles Down, visit 60MD.com…. My buds from New Day Dawn are playing with the Queen of Mall concerts, Tiffany, at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck, NJ, on October 19. Tiffany was popular in the eighties with her hit single “I Think We’re Alone Now.” Also, performing is my friend Jackie June, who also has a new music video out for her song “Wild Flower,” and Kingston and Greystar. New Day Dawn is also performing Psycho Steve’s BreastFest at Dingbatz in Clifton on November 1 in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Also performing will be Reality Suite, Who Killed Marilyn, Dela Die, and Arc’d Angel. For discounted ticket info to these shows, visit NewDayDawn.info…. And finally, in some really sad news, the North Jersey music scene lost another beloved and talented soldier a couple of weeks ago. His name was Jim “Bean” DeSalvo. Jim made his mark on the music scene with the Trixter guys, but I knew Jim as a mastering genius. Bean, as many knew him, mastered all of my bands Smoke Star and Hostel Inc.’s albums and he always made them sound explosively professional. Jim was struck in the head by a tire that fell off of a dump truck while he was riding his bicycle about a month ago and had been fighting for his life up until a couple of weeks ago. R.I.P. Jim “Bean” DeSalvo.
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.
