{"id":27452,"date":"2018-11-10T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2018-11-10T14:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=27452"},"modified":"2018-11-10T09:00:12","modified_gmt":"2018-11-10T14:00:12","slug":"on-stage-new-romance-brings-back-that-80s-vibe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=27452","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: New Romance brings back that 80s vibe"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The 1980s was a decade when MTV was a major player in the world of rock music. Bands found instant success when their videos got into regular rotation on the music-based cable channel.<\/p>\n

More than 30 years have passed since that era in the history of pop music. Many of the acts are long-gone. Some have persevered over the last three decades and other are now coming back together for \u201cretro\u201d tours.<\/p>\n

There are also current bands who have become tribute acts not to just one band but to the while era. One of the best of the lot is The New Romance, a Baltimore-based band that takes listeners back to the era of big hair, skinny ties, lace and spandex.<\/p>\n

The New Romance features six members who describe themselves as not just a tribute to the 80s, but an authentic concert experience — a band that specializes in recreating the sounds of the bands that they cover. They are\u00a0winners of several music industry awards including \u201cBest Tribute Act\u201d and \u201cBest Cover Band.\u201d<\/p>\n

On November 10, The New Romance will head north from Baltimore to Philly to be the featured act at the \u201cUltimate 80s Prom\u201d at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400<\/a>, www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The internationally-touring group will bring fans back to the 80s with its non-stop, high-energy show that includes all of the hits from the decade. The six-piece band features a male and female singer, so it is capable of performing such hits as \u201cBillie Jean\u201d by Michael Jackson, \u201cPurple Rain\u201d by Prince, \u201cJack and Diane\u201d by John Mellencamp, \u201cLivin\u2019 On A Prayer\u201d by Bon Jovi, \u201cGirls Just Wanna Have Fun\u201d by Cindi Lauper and \u201cGet Into The Groove\u201d by Madonna.<\/p>\n

The New Romance\u2019s line-up features Major Mit (vocals), Erica St. Louis (vocals), Guitar: Erik Smith (guitar), Fred Yankellow (bass), Greg Marsh (keyboards) and Dave Stack (drums).<\/p>\n

The driving force behind the band is Marsh, a Baltimore musician who is a founding member.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was playing original music the majority of my teen years,\u201d said Marsh, during a recent phone interview from his office in Baltimore.<\/p>\n

\u2018In 2007, I ran into an acquaintance who needed a keyboard player for his original band \u2013 The Galaxy. That band broke up in 2009 and I thought it would be a good time to go into tribute acts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe New Romance was my first tribute act. Our first show was December 31, 2009 at the River Watch in Baltimore. We never really had to pay our dues. Our friends supported us, and it grew from there. Just 10 months later, we were playing the 930 Club in D.C.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom there, we began doing shows for Live Nation in 2014 \u2013 including the TLA in Philly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New Romance continued to build its reputation and spread its popularity.<\/p>\n

\u201cNext, we partnered with another act \u2013 Biz Markie,\u201d said Marsh. \u201cWe created \u2018Here\u2019s To The Night, The New Romance and DJ Biz Markie!\u2019. It was an 80s and 90s act with us and Biz Markie.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re an 80s tribute act. We like to create a positive atmosphere. That\u2019s the great thing about two genres that people love. It\u2019s one big party. I think the nostalgia for the 80s has boomed back.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you never went to a prom in the 80s and you want to experience the vibe \u2013 or if you went to proms during the decade and want to turn back time for a night \u2013 the \u201cUltimate 80s Prom\u201d is the event for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s three hours of music \u2013 and prom pictures,\u201d said Marsh. \u201cWe cater to the dance music of the 80s. We pay the hits by acts such as Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Soft Cell, Journey, Depeche Mode, Cyndi Lauper, the Cure, U2 and Madonna.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWe focus on the songs that people know and love. We draw audience members who are in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and sixties. It\u2019s a great date night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The New Romance \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/-6qsR1RIIEw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The \u201cUltimate 80s Prom\u201d at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $35.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the World Caf\u00e9 Live are Jennifer Knapp on November 10, KT Tunstall on November 13, Elliott Murphy on November 13 and Alan Doyle and Whitney Rose on November 14.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Bryce Vine<\/p><\/div>\n

There is another act playing Philly on November 10 that has a (somewhat) direct link to the 80s \u2013 Bryce Vine.<\/p>\n

On Saturday night, Vine will share the bill with MAX and EZI at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011<\/a>, http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Vine\u2019s link to the 80s is Drew Barrymore, an internationally-acclaimed actress who entered her teen years in the 80s. In 2017, Vine had a hit single with his song \u201cDrew Barrymore.\u201d The song has had more than 60 million streams and has lodged itself in Top 20 at Pop and Rhythm charts. Vine just performed at the VMAs pre-show and was featured as Pepsi\u2019s Sound Drop artist.<\/p>\n

Vine explained his inspiration for the song \u201cDrew Barrymore\u201d during a phone interview Friday afternoon \u2013 and talked about other current (and tragic) topics concerning his hometown \u2013 Westlake Village, a city in the western area of Los Angeles County.<\/p>\n

The Woolsey fire swept into the Westlake Village area Friday, burning homes and spreading anxiety among residents. Several homes were burned, and firefighters were racing to save others. The fire slammed into Malibu on Friday afternoon, burned dozens of hillside homes on its way to the Pacific Ocean and more than doubled in size from 14,000 acres to 35,000 acres in the span of several hours.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not all.<\/p>\n

Thousand Oaks, California, a city adjacent to Westlake Village, had its own tragedy this week.<\/p>\n

A gunman opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks late Wednesday night. Eyewitnesses say the man fired at people in a packed bar during college night. Twelve people were killed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a wild 24 hours for me,\u201d said Vine. \u201cWestlake Village is my home. The Borderline Club \u2013 we had our high school reunion there. All this that has been happening there is tragic. That\u2019s my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Friday, Vine was in North Jersey getting ready for an evening show in Freehold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I wrote \u2018Drew Barrymore,\u2019 I went into it trying to write a song about somebody special without that person being the focus of the song,\u201d said Vine, a hip hop artist whose influences include indie bands such as Third Eye Blind and rappers like J. Cole.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrew Barrymore is cool and iconic \u2013 sexy and kind of badass \u2013 the kind of girl she played in \u2018The Wedding Singer.\u2019 I don\u2019t know if she ever heard my song. She should definitely feel complimented. The song is still getting a lot of streams and has been on the charts for 24 weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vine released the song independently in November 2017 and its success garnered interest form a number of record labels. Vine eventually signed with Sire Records.<\/p>\n

Prior to the events of the last 18 months, Vine attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and was a contestant on the TV show \u201cThe Glee Project.\u201d In 2014, he released his debut EP, \u201cLazy Fair.\u201d He also has released several singles over the last three years.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy most recent single is \u2018On the Ball,\u2019\u201d said Vine. \u2018I\u2019m aware that my fans know me mostly for one song. I want to give them a couple more singles and then we\u2019ll set out to make my debut album. It\u2019s called \u2018Carnival\u2019 and it will come out sometime in 2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Bryce Vine \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/kudi8OtMu9s<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at TLA, which features Bryce Vine, MAX and EZI, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the TLA are Saves the Day on November 11, Tasha Cobbs on November 12, Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians on November 13 and Hobo Johnson on November 14.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Miya Folick<\/p><\/div>\n

Another act heading to Philadelphia this weekend with a (somewhat) link to the 80s is Miya Folick.<\/p>\n

The singer-songwriter-indie rock artist from Los Angeles makes music that is cutting edge in the late 2010s. It is modern music with DNA but also music that shows signs of two great female vocalists who were innovators in the 80s \u2013 Kate Bush and Tori Amos. Listeners can also hear traces of Imogen Heap, who has been a musical trailblazer since this century got underway.<\/p>\n

But, Folick, who will perform on November 11 at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100<\/a>, www.utphilly.com<\/a>), arrived at where she is today musically without having listened to any of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m aware of who they are but they weren\u2019t singers that I listened to when I was growing up,\u201d said Folick, during a phone interview Thursday morning as she travelled to a tour stop in Charlotte, North Carolina. \u201cI\u2019m more familiar with Imogen Heap than I am with Kate Bush or Tori Amos.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, I listened to a lot of the music my parents were listening to \u2013 oldies but goodies. And, my dad listened to a lot of music by acts like Dylan, Eric Clapton and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folick, who grew up going to a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist church in Orange County, was more into academics than music when she was in high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was familiar with contemporary music, but I was studying classical voice and chorus,\u201d said Folick. \u201cThen, I went to N.Y.U. (New York University).<\/p>\n

\u201cI studied acting and realized I didn\u2019t like it. I began playing guitar when I was in college. I liked the autonomy of making music and doing everything myself. I started making music \u2013 and kept doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folick apparently had found her true calling.<\/p>\n

According to Folick, \u201cI play music because forming thoughts into sounds blends emotional and rational thought in a way that turns me on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folick released her debut EP, \u201cStrange Darling,\u201d in December 2015 and followed with two singles in 2016 \u2013 \u201cPet Body\u201d and \u201cGod Is a Woman.\u201d Her second EP, \u201cGive It to Me\u201d was released in November 2017. Two months ago, she released the single \u201cStop Talking.\u201d On October 26, Folick put out her debut album, \u201cPremonitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded the album with producers Justin Raisen and Yves Rothman,\u201d said Folick, who comes to the Philly area frequently to visit her sister who lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started making the album last November and worked on it for six or seven months \u2013 which is a long tine in this era of music. We wanted to get it right. We used primarily analog gear \u2013 very little sampling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith songwriting, I like to write with the production in mind. Mostly, when I write, I like to start out with a fleshed-out idea and the write the lyrics and melodies on top.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing into this record, I had certain goals in mind. I didn\u2019t want to write an album just about romantic love. I wanted it to feel expansive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Miya Folick — https:\/\/youtu.be\/PCgqPYN0epw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Union Transfer, which also features Pale Waves and The Candescents, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $18.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Union Transfer are Municipal Waste on November 12, Toro Y Moi on November 13, and Gregory Alan Isakov on November 14.<\/p>\n

Years ago, there were just a few genres of music with the main ones being pop, country, rock, blues, classical, jazz, folk, R&B, opera and avant-garde.<\/p>\n

Slowly, the number of genres began expanding and generating sub-genres and sub-genres within sub-genres.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Amigo The Devil<\/p><\/div>\n

Now, just when you think you\u2019ve heard all of them, another genre or sub-genre pops up \u2013 like trap, Scandinavian goth metal or trap.<\/p>\n

Amigo The Devil, who will headline a show at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919<\/a>, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>) on November 11, is described in his press release as a \u201cdark folk\/Murderfolk artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just storytelling,\u201d said Danny Kiranos (a.k.a. Amigo The Devil), during a phone interview Thursday as he travelled from a date in Pittsburgh to a show in Rochester, New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s dark storytelling based in the whole folk\/Americana tradition. It\u2019s rooted there \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t live there. I\u2019ve always been interested in horror stories and true crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amigo The Devil is billed as \u201ca key figure in the U.S. ‘murder folk’ scene which also includes contemporaries such as The Devil Makes Three and The Dead South.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kiranos has a recognized sound that carries traces of artists such as Americana string band Old Crow Medicine Show and singer-songwriters William Elliott Whitmore and David Eugene Edwards, allied with direct, often morbid lyrics shot through with a dark sense of humor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s mainly just storytelling,\u201d said Kiranos. \u201cThe genre thing is one of the things we\u2019ve had trouble with. I never felt that we align with the great singer-songwriters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made my first record \u2013 \u2018Manimals\u2019 — in 2010. It was a hobby EP to record old songs properly. At the time, I had a full-time job. I\u2019m a brewer by trade. I made two other EPs after that \u2013 \u2018Diggers\u2019 and \u2018Decomposition.\u2019 Those three got combined into an album in 2015 called \u2018Volume 1.\u2019 That was a fake full-length. The real one is the one which just came out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amigo The Devil just\u00a0released his new album \u201cEverything Is Fine,\u201d which was produced by Ross Robinson (Korn, Slipknot) and features Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) on drums.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was weird having to write 15 songs to record \u2018Everything Is Fine,\u2019\u201d said Kiranos. \u201cI did it earlier this year in March. I spent two months making sure everything was pure, real and honest as can be.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great experience working with Ross. He pulls a lot out of you. He just makes you wonder what the lyrics really mean. By the end, you realize that the song is much deeper than you expected it to be. He\u2019s concerned more with it feeling good than it sounding good.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything was recorded straight to tape. We made the album it in L.A. \u2013 recorded it at Valentine Studio in Studio City. It\u2019s an old studio with great analog gear. That\u2019s where the warmth comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Amigo The Devil \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZzjtLm0G49E<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie, which also features The Rectors and Harley Poe, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Kung Fu Necktie are Horrendous on November 10, Un on November 12, Trapo on November 13 and Austin Lucas on November 14.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The 1980s was a decade when MTV was a major player in the world of rock music. Bands found instant success when their videos got into regular rotation on the music-based cable channel. More than 30 years have passed since that era in the history of pop music. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7441],"tags":[11040,11038,6269,11039,11037],"class_list":["post-27452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-amigo-the-devil","tag-bryce-vine","tag-featured","tag-miya-folick","tag-new-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27453,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27452\/revisions\/27453"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}