Vibes contributed a marathon performance full of energy, emotion, and passion at this unique venue, sharing the same stage with veteran Long Island bands I Am the Avalanche and Nightmare Of You.
While Vibes' music is passionate, there is no messing around. The crowd was
extremely excited by the fast-paced spitfire delivery that the band produced.
The band broke lose with their experimental “Ours,” an upbeat
song which featured a beautiful musical atmosphere bridge. The band jammed
into the night with “Never Warmth” that was guided by band member
Josh Sasson’s piano motif, and “Stay Love,” a soaring, uplifting
song that basks in guitar melodies and tells a powerful message of how important
uniting with others is to achieve both personal and worldly desires.
They also incorporated two new unreleased tracks into their set along with material from their recently released EP, Vibes. The band was formed in early 2006, when Sasson (vocals, piano, and guitar), Chris Antonelli (guitar), Michael Morgan (bass), and Adam Friedberg (drums) decided to create music to take the negativity out of their lives. They have been able to lose themselves in the music and provide that same euphoric feeling to the audience.
Vibes was driven by the desire to affect people in the way their own inspirations have effectively shaped the band, according to Sasson. “We wish to create music that pours out of our souls rather then force things," Sasson said. “Our sound is a natural combination of the eccentric individuals that we are, the influences that we receive from where we live, and the music we listen to, and lastly who we hope to become."
The band keeps busy, playing gigs regularly. For more information on Vibes,
log on to myspace.com/vibesband or vibestheband.com.
– Photo and text by Brian Barry
Club Loaded at The Crazy Donkey has brought yet another band to Long Island – and a dynamic one at that . This is a hard rocking group that displays considerable talent. The band consists of David Shaw (vocals, bass, and the band's principal songwriter), Robert Mayer (guitar), George Giannovlis (guitar), and Derek Davis (drums). They were well orchestrated and put forth some high-energy music, most of it from their new CD, Walkin' On A Wire.
The instrumentals were pretty much the dominant force of the set, yet took nothing away from the witty tunes with good lyrics and crisp vocals. The band as a whole had no prominent instrument as the blend of instruments enhanced the entire set. The use of guitars and drums blended together in a creative professional style that managed to create some real solid sounds that worked very well with lead guitar solos. The band had excellent timing with very good rhythm. The music, while in the rock genre, was slightly harder then the familiar style of play for that category. They take their music seriously enough to be well rehearsed while creating a fun, wild, fluid motion.
Shaw moved back to New York from Los Angeles and had felt the need to get back into playing music and touring after a break from performing. He met up with an associate and decided to really dig into the music again, and recorded a demo in Arizona. To Shaw, it is all about the music and creating solid, creative, and exciting songs that will entertain people, something that will stick in their heads and get the house jumping. Some of the influences of the band are Crunch, AC/DC, and Cheap Trick. Shaw is influenced by 80s rock, and the band is forming its own sound with good pop sensibility. It is sort of rock with a retro sound. There is a certain quality, without the flashiness. David Shaw & The Round Trip's main theme is to revive rock & roll one chord at a time.
You can find out more information and the latest news from the band at roundtripmusic.com
and myspace.com/roundtripmusic. For information and shows at The Crazy Donkey,
log on to thecrazydonkey.com/home.html, and for information on national acts
coming to The Crazy Donkey via Club Loaded, go to ClubLoaded.com.
-Texts and photos by Louis Abbatepaolo
As a crisp night breeze swept the deck of this East Rockaway venue, howling
guitar riffs intermingled with the sounds of dinner forks and hushed conversation.
In the small covered bandstand illuminated by a glowing string of lights,
Lost Dog took the stage to play familiar cover hits to the dinner crowd and
the groups of laughing singles clustered along the bar.
With acoustic guitars and husky vocals, Lost Dog transitioned seamlessly from classic rock to contemporary pop/rock covers. Opening with The Allman Brothers' "Sweet Melissa," whining guitars quivered in the air, the electrified notes passing away with the breeze blowing off the water. The soft rock tune was a good choice for the relaxed crowd assembled with Coronas and lemons in hand, creating a feeling of summer. Other covers included a wide range of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bad Company, Matchbox 20, and Joe Cocker. The songs were all played with crisp accuracy and heart pounding twanging guitars.
Though all the songs were played well and fit the outdoors atmosphere, the band was safe in their choice of music, selecting less challenging songs to fit their voices. Yet, the rumbling vocals featured over rhythmic paced rock anthems made for a fitting set list.
As the air grew colder and the crowd thicker, there were sporadic sing-a-longs to Clearance Clearwater Revival’s "Bad Moon Rising" and The Doors' soul shaking Roadhouse Blues. The music carried with it promises of good times and a generated mellow mood that permeated the crowd, drifting between dancing couples and clinking beer bottles.
Playing late into the night, Lost Dog wandered through their set beating
a path of classic and alternative rock, blues, and soul. For more information
and a list of upcoming shows, check out myspace.com/lostdogband.
– Laurie Kamens
