ROLAND – Camden, NJ
On January 3, my band Rahway will be kicking off 2020 with a killer show in Atlantic City’s newest rock club, Anchor Rock Club, with Charm City Devils closing. They’re the band who Nikki Sixx from the newly reunited Mötley Crüe named and signed from Maryland. Anyway, the band opening the show that night is a band out of Camden, NJ called Roland, and they are a fantastic addition to the bill. Who knew anything good came out of Camden? I’m sitting here listening to their self-titled EP featuring the songs “Heartbreaker,” “Dirty Night,” and “Last Goodbye,” and I couldn’t stop thinking about early Bon Jovi. I mean I had to look twice at the cover of their EP because it looked so similar to Bon Jovi’s self-titled debut album. Regardless, there are three really good songs that I would listen to again on this EP.
After forming only last year and each member only in their twenties, Camden-based hard rockers, Roland are out to sincerely revive hard rock’s most headbanging and hip-thrusting moments of music…. Um, excuse me? Hip-thrusting?
Anyway, full of energy, big choruses, pure stadium-ready rock, Roland shows have a wide range of moods to keep things interesting, putting a stamp on their electrifying presence and proving that true rock music can survive for generations. Since forming, Roland has racked up over 14,000 plays on their SoundCloud page, leading the band to release their self-titled EP on all major streaming and music downloading platforms. Making up the band is singer Roland Dan, guitarist Ryan Gattini, bassist Dillon Finn, drummer Vinnie Muckey, and keyboardist Drew Anderson.
Roland is no stranger to the stage in the Tri-state area. They’ve played a sold out show opening for KIX at my old stomping grounds, the Chameleon Club, in Lancaster, PA, and also playing legendary Jersey venues like the Brighton Bar and the Stone Pony. To kick off the new year, Roland will be adding Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City to their list of venues played for a second time when they perform with my band Rahway and Charm City Devils on January 3. For more info on Roland or to find out where they’re playing next, visit Roland.band.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bud, Tommy London from The Dirty Pearls and the newest deejay on Sirius/XM’s Hair Nation, just released his latest single, “Boom Boom Boom,” and it is delicious! The song has also been receiving some rave reviews on the Internet. It’s one of those songs that just makes you feel good! Tommy has a new solo CD coming in the Spring of 2020. For more on Tommy, visit TommyLondon.com…. Speaking of new projects, my brother Chino Marin, from Statik Silence and Ronin, has a new project called Lonewolf. They are a metal band based out of Tampa, FL, with a new EP, Dark Was The Day, coming soon. They are being produced by Jose Urquiza from 3 Years Hollow and Morgan Rose from Sevendust. Lonewolf will be releasing their first single and music video for Post Malone’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding” on Christmas Day. If Chino is signing it will be amazing. For more info on Lonewolf, visit Facebook.com/LNEWOLFMUSIC…. And finally, don’t forget about my bros from BoundAlive. In a couple of weeks, they will be opening for Clutch at Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ on December 30. Also performing will be The Steel Woods and Damon Johnson. Hit one of the guys from BoundAlive up for advanced discounted tickets, and don’t forget to check out the band’s latest lyric video for their song “Incision.” For more on BoundAlive, visit BoundAlive.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.
