Cornerstone's New Band Showcase - the results are in!
dave
New Band Showcase 1998
Well - what a year it's been! Over 250 entries darkened our doorway (and
we mean that - the pile was so high, we could hardly get around in our
closet of an office!) Thanks to everyone who submitted material - this
year's entries included some of the best music we've heard in a while -
bands from almost all 50 states and Canada, in genres stretching from
folk to punk, hip hop to ska, worship to metal - nothing went
unexplored. The extraordinary showing of good material meant some very
tough decisions. The following 16 bands were chosen to appear, (up from
the traditional 12) and we'd like to have added more if schedules had
permitted it! Here's what you can expect to see if you make it to
Cornerstone '98.
Ignited Soul - Where on earth did this amazing rap-core quartet come
from? Well, if you guessed LA, New York or any other hip and happening
coastal locale, you'd be wrong. Try the eastern Tennessee mountains!
Brutal and forthright (musically and lyrically), their 3 song demo left
me wanting to hear a whole lot more. If you dig RATM or Korn, you'll
totally get into this group of guys.
Scarlet Haven - Living in quaint little seaside villages has been known
to inspire more than one or two artists to create beautiful masterpieces
- Courtney Reid seems to have tapped into that creative energy, and
together with her very talented band, has created some delightful music.
Hailing from the Boston region, their music has found a home on college
radio across the country, and enjoys current air play on Beantown's top
rock station, WCBN. The music is a mix of folk and rock with a great
deal of classical influence, thanks to their cellist and double bass
players.
the plain janes - When you're venturing into a genre that is all but on
life support, you're making a pretty bold move. The Bay Area foursome
did just that, and in the end, has given us some well written and
artfully presented, full-on modern rock. With the talent and creativity
displayed in their full length release tripping over daisies, it's not
going to be long before someone wakes up and takes notice.
Mack the Coffee Man - If you thought that Amish country was only good
for shoo-fly pie and quilts, you better think that one over. There's
this absolutely groovy band from the city of Lancaster, PA that is
making the rounds of the Mid-Atlantic club scene, playing real
alternative music. As in, music that begs you to use your mind to
listen. The word "hook" is not in the band's dictionary, but it's odd -
you don't need a "hook" to be "catchy."
Spinoza- Formed on Martha's Vineyard but now based on New York City's
Upper West Side, Lee Kizer and Reid McLean have a unique ability to
create true folk music. We're talking about the real deal. It's
described as "music to provide smooth transportation from chronological
time into an organic, musical time where the story of the human soul is
unleashed," and their fusion of a Hammond B-3 (yes!), guitar, mandolin,
sitar and other instruments coupled with some superb vocals and the
production (and musical) skills of the legendary Brooks Williams is a
sure recipe for success. Feeling a little too grown up for the mosh pit?
Be here when these guys take the stage.
Ramsie Schick - Two things were working against this Ramsie chick when I
first opened the package. Firstly, doesn't that name conjure up images
of some pretty-in-pink starlet warbling about teenage hopes and dreams?
Also, as a misplaced New Yorker, when someone makes the statement in
their bio that "the Big Apple indeed does have a worm at the core",
it's all I can do to keep from exercising my New Yorkness and throwing
the whole kit and caboodle out the window. All I can say is, I was so
wrong -- when you put the disc in the player, don't have it turned up
too high, because this lady doesn't lose a minute before launching into
her absolutely amazing and all-grown-up rock and roll. Cited as
influences are: scottish/irish folk, 70's Jesus music and the Grateful
Dead. She takes the term "powerhouse vocals" to a new level, and her
lyrics come out of the convictions of her heart. Raised in a christian
home, she spent time in the art community of New York City while
attending NYU, but now resides in Dallas (which presumably is much more
godly than New York), where she's probably rocking the socks of the
folks that are lucky enough to hear her in concert. Don't miss your
opportunity to do the same. And hey - now that I got all that off my
chest, I'm fine, really, I promise.
Hangnail - After a couple punk shows, I must say, the idea of pop-punk
has become very, very appealing to me. I love it. And you have to
understand, this is coming from someone who was raised on church music.
Kenosha, Wisconsin's own are officially out of the garage and on the New
Band Stage. All seniors in highschool, these guys certainly are blessed
with some talent. Every thing about them is superb -- vocals, guitar
work (there's even some good horn work when you'd least expect it) and
man, are they tight! Drop what you're doing and come on over - it'll be
a whole lot of fun!
The Rest - One of the very first submissions to arrive in the dead of
last winter, it was almost instantly that I fell in love with this trio
of singer-songwriters from Nashville. As far as band bios go, this one's
pretty interesting - "two expatriate English teachers and a
semi-vagabond studio engineer first crossed and then joined paths..in a
just recently liberated Budapest, Hungary." Intricate harmonies (think
Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie) and wonderful melodies insure that
this show is going to smoke.
Pegtop- Now here's some interesting stuff! A lead singer/guitar player
that wins awards for his singing and playing, a percussionist that
thinks that 5 gallon pails, a cardboard barrel and a metal tackle box do
better than a drum set, and a bass player that can play anything he sets
his mind to. It's the kind of stuff you hear at the airport and on the
street corner, but only much better. They have quite a following in
their hometown of Minneapolis, and have played extensively in the upper
Midwest. Curious, and altogether intriguing.
Estis P@rc- Remember Julee Cruise singing at the Roadhouse in Twin
Peaks? I'm reminded of the surreality of those scenes from the show when
I listen to this demo. I really like these guys. Dreamy lounge vocals
coupled with a blend of 50's and modern rock guitar work - by the way,
who said people from Axtell, Nebraska were permitted to be this
wonderfully artistic? This stuff is absolutely captivating, hypnotic,
exciting and totally deserving of a whole lot more attention. What a
standout!.
Officer Down- From Steinbach, Manitoba, these are men that seek to
expand the genre they find themselves in, with a unique blend of melody
and aggression. Here's what they said: "Recognizing the responsibility
that coexists with the acquisition of certain knowledge, it becomes
imperative to respond to societal ills and injustices. The music is the
medium through which this response is conveyed." No joking around -
these guys are serious about what they're doing. The music is a brutal
onslaught of hardcore, and the lyrics deal directly with issues such as
rape, and the economic injustices that relate to capital punishment,
poverty and many other problems.
Big Dog Small Fence- 1998 is the year of Ska. If there's no official
designation, then I claim it so. All of a sudden every horn player in
the highschool marching band gets a chance to be a rock star! Sifting
through the pile of Ska submissions must have been a difficult task,
however these (you guessed it!) SoCal latino-skasters definitely rose
head and shoulders above the rest. Their full length release is a joy to
listen to, and the lyrics really say something. It's clear that these
guys are no suburbanites (in spirit anyway), but rather, aware of life's
tragic realities - the lyrics address everything from child abuse to
alcoholism. It's fast, it's tight and the kids can sing!
Five O'Clock People- Any band that does gigs at it's local Starbucks is
definitely going to be a fave of mine - it's sensitive folk rock (CCM
says that it's sensitive without being too sensitive for it's own good)
and there's some neat string work, accordion and an overall funky vibe
to the music I heard. What gets me about some folk is how it almost
lulls you to sleep - not so with these guys - the instrumentation is
unique enough to keep you sitting up straight, and wanting more. Very
cool - hopefully this is the beginning of a long string of Cornerstone
appearances.
Farewell to Juliet- Still a new band after all these years! Farewell to
Juliet appeared at the 1993 Showcase, and has remained independent
(indie - good or bad - discuss.) creating wonderful music that just gets
better and better. The band itself is reluctant to characterize itself
as modern rock - that's a smart move, because there's far too many
outside influences to stick them into the genre. Lots of really cool
background vocals, a great deal of unique instrumentation put them in a
category all by themselves.
Karen Bradley - Fantastic piano-driven alternative rock from a singer
songwriter that's been no stranger to the Cornerstone stage -She came
with Charlie Peacock in years past, and contributed to a record of his a
number of years ago. She's definitely got the originality thing going
for her - Charlie himself says "most modern artists have forgotten that
music is supposed to be compelling - I guarantee hers is."
The Ivy League - Formed at Oral Roberts University, this band comes
from the middle of nowhere (or so they say) to just a little east of the
middle of nowhere (that would be Cornerstone Farm). Each member
represents an Ivy League institution, and they all major in what they
call "prep school ska." They won the New Band Showcase finals at the
Where House in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where bands from the 6 state
region were represented, and winners were chosen by a board of more than
10 label representatives. Pretty nifty stuff!
New Band Showcase 1998
The showcase runs daily with these timeslots, and the listing below is
in order of appearance:
2:00-2:40
2:55-3:35
3:50-4:30
4:45-5:20
Wednesday
Five O'Clock People
Farewell to Juliet
Karen Bradley
The Ivy League
Thursday
Hangnail
Big Dog Small Fence
Officer Down
Ignited Soul
Friday
Spinoza
Ramsie Schick
The Rest
Pegtop
Saturday
Mack the Coffee Man
Estis P@rc
the plain janes
Scarlet Haven
for more information, visit http://cornerstone.jesusfreak.com
dave
cornerstone'98
Elan Kia
Farewell To Juliet @ Cornerstone Magazine's new band showcase.
Everything old is new again. I've never heard of an act getting to play
C-STN NBS twice, especially HALF A DECADE later. If record companies
could figure out how to mkt oTr & VoL,then FTJ, then FTJ would always
be, far and away, the best indie band of the 90s (even w/ their heavy
80s influences).
Besides, (devious) lead singer Brant, got WBGL's afternoon
drivetime AC queen, Maria Wallis, to say Michael Jordan suffered from
"itching & chafing" on the air. Reward him for that, go see FTJ, buy
their product.
Elan Kia visit<http://www.angelfire.com/nm/COYOTEART/index.html>
"Ora et labora"
np<www.klyt.org> the lyt on the net