Local bands have high hopes for 2008
There will be plenty to watch for this year within the Rio Grande Valley’s pool of talent.
Just take your pick.
Dozens of bands are hitting the road in 2008, others are putting the finishing touches on their upcoming albums and so many more are welcoming a whole new breed of supporters.
One thing remains a constant, all of these men and women of music continue to devote their blood, sweat and tears into their craft in hopes of spreading their sound to anyone who will give them a chance.
Golightly Project
www.myspace.com/golightlyproject
Making waves in 2007 was the GoLightly Project. An energetic duo based out of the Mid-Valley burst onto the scene with their blend of hip hop and house music, which they dubbed “Hip House.” DeWayne GoLightly and Jonathan “Jiro” Rodriguez say they want to make the kind of music to get the party hoppin’. “Make men in bowties and women in ball gowns dance on the table,” they said. Some of you may have caught a glimpse of the twosome opening up for Mims, Pit Bull, and Soulja Boy.
In the spring they plan to head to Los Angeles to meet with a major label in hopes of signing a record deal. Right now, they are focused on getting their full-length debut album out in the next month of two. A majority of the tracks, written and produced by DeWayne GoLightly are already completed.
Thedecember Drive/The Apple in
the Tree
www.myspace.com/thedecemberdrive
www.myspace.com/theappleinthetree
Very few bands have grown synonymous to the Indie scene like thedecember drive. Since the early days of the now defunct Indie venue, Trenton Point where old school fans once heard tracks like “Buffalo Wing Conspiracy” the has band withstood the test of time, a changing scene and shuffles in the lineup. Frontman Dave Cortez says the band is gearing up for their sophomore album by summer. Schooling obligations took precedence last year for a few of the members but they still managed to squeeze in a few shows at Cine El Rey, Simon Sez and the VFW. For fans of Cortez’ side project, The Apple in the Tree, stay tuned for the band’s debut album as well as a few new faces in the lineup.
Driving the Nails
www.myspace.com/drivingthenails
Although it has been a while since we’ve seen industrial/metal act Driving the Nails on stage, it doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy. David Rodriguez and company have been in the studio writing and recording new material for their long-awaited album to be released as early as May. Most of 2007 was spent looking to fill some slots in the lineup. Caesar Elias (Psycho Plague) got behind the drums and AJ Ramirez jumped on board on guitar. They are still looking to fill the bass player slot. Look for a revamped and reloaded Driving the Nails in 2008. In the meantime check out the band’s version of, “If I Could be God Tonight,” (as made famous by Real Life) on their MySpace page.
Walk the Graves
www.myspace.com/walkthegraves
Even if hardcore isn’t your cup of tea, it’s hard not to gravitate toward Walk the Graves. Not only do they execute a brutal live show but the guys have some of the most amiable personalities in the scene today. But don’t let the practical jokes get in the way of the music. Early last year the band hit the road in full force hitting up several spots in Texas including the chance to play an all-day festival in Abilene. There they got to perform on the same stage as some big names in the hardcore community: War of Ages, Seventh Star and Call to Preserve.
The band will go into the studio next month to complete their full-length debut. Their goal is to keep the same momentum in the new album from fans who became quite fond of their older material.
DTD (Determined to Defeat)
www.myspace.com/dtdhc
Last year was good to the guys of DTD. Not only did they hit the road for the first time but they made tons of friends along the way. These heavy hitters of hardcore can now be seen in shows across Texas and south of the border in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.
This year will be no different. The guys want to book a solid West Coast summer tour and hit up some of the hotbeds for aggressive music including California, New Mexico and Las Vegas.
A seven-song EP is in the works, which they hope to have done by the summer.
Jonestown Tragedy
www.myspace.com/myjonestowntragedy
Their name certainly made heads turn, as did their music.
Jonestown Tragedy made definite headway this past year and is looking forward to building their fan base in 2008. The band draws elements of punk rock, hardcore and progressive rock into a sound truly their own. Even as a fairly new band, they have proven to their peers they have what it takes to keep up.
Their ultimate goal is to finish up their album and continue to venture outside of the Valley for live shows.
HopefortheStars
www.myspace.com/hopeforthestars
In 2007 the stars aligned for this Alamo-based instrumental quartet. Soon after the release of their EP, A Moment in Time, hopeforthestars signed with Japan’s XTAL Records. The EP will be released this year in a split alongside: Yndi Halda, Caspian, Always The Runner, and several more. After the departure of one of their members, a friend of the band climbed on board. With new ideas coming in, hopeforthestars is now writing new songs, and working on their second album tentatively set for release in August.
Fed of Me
www.myspace.com/fedofme
People may recognize promoter J Ortiz from his work as the head of Dead Gift Entertainment. But some still might not be aware of his role as the lead singer of the longtime metal act, Fed of Me. Formed in 2000 but with a few rough patches here and there the band is now fine tuned and ready for action.
They are currently putting the finishing touches on their EP, Frown for the Frame which they’ve recorded at Green Flame Studios in Pharr. Fans can expect six new tracks, which the band debuted live last year. One of the highlights of last year was the band’s chance to open for Divine Heresy at Smoking Aces in Mission.
Fed of Me also has plans to play outside of the Valley and spread their music around the state.
Jericho Machine
www.myspace.com/thejerichomachine
Meet Jericho Machine, one of the newest bands to hit the local music scene.
These guys have two goals: Encourage live music in the Valley and sell 10,000 units in 2008.
But first fans have to give them a chance. Jericho Machine, which features singer/guitarist Robert “BJ” Perez (In the Red, ), Ogre (former Driving the Nails) and Adrian Varela (Methmare Motorcade) is a collaborative mix of hard rock, reggae, blues and hip-hop. Without a doubt this band treads the fine lines of many musical landscapes.
Other than introducing the band to audiences they are in the process of recording, The Educated Donkeys, and looking for a March street date. Like a couple of other bands from the Valley, Jericho Machine solicited the help of thedecember drive’s Charlie Vela and his personal recording studio to lay tracks down for the album. After the album is completed they plan to tour.
Just last week, the band made their debut on the local rock station, KFRQ 94.5 FM.
Other bands to watch for:
A Waltz to Remember
Mountain View
Lay in Ruins
God’s Last Breath
Miriam Ramirez covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4468. Monitor Staff Writer Paige Lauren Deiner contributed to this report.
