Band Camp Part 1 - A New Revolution (August 2006)


Date of Performance: August 6, 2006
Venue: Band Camp, Willow Island, Madison, WI

Joshua Turner files this two part report on Band Camp, held at Willow Island on August 6, 2006. In the first part, the band A New Revolution, and in the second, Wicked Wisdom.

Letters From Camp, Page 1: Anew Revolution:
Band Camp @ Willow Island 8/6/06

My mother always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, then keep it to yourself. With that said, I will keep my observations of the others acts at Band Camp 2006 to myself... ANew Revolution, on the other hand, quickly became my favorite hardcore band as a result of their performance.

Like anyone with a good ear, I tend to prefer a melody, a beat, and a rhythm to mindless heavy riffs. This band was the complete package and refreshed my respect for the genre. To this day, I still think my hearing has been compromised by Slipknot and Sebastian Bach. A lot of my friends go nuts over the heaviness in the hardcore and heavy metal genres. My opinion is that it's the very definition of overkill. Then again, maybe we should coin another term altogether as it "greatly" exceeds the threshold of the eardrum.

Due to my friends, I see more than my fair share of concerts in this niche market, but I can't say I like it. It's more about hanging out with my cronies than it is about seeing any particular band.

I'm harping upon my point of view, because all of this changed that day. I found myself really getting into the music of this band. Their guitarist (Shaun Stockton) held my attention with some engaging licks. Their bassist (Frank "Frankie" Salvaggio) made the music pound with pulsating pleasure. The drummer (Robert Urbani) did a little more than the rest of the hardcore citizenship by throwing in an extra juicy fill from time to time. The singer (Joey Duenas) had a good voice as well when he wasn't cookie monster or a holler monkey. Together, they had stage presence albeit a little too much spitting.

In the end, the won my vote when they did a rearranged rendition of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle." I laughed out loud when it became clear that I was in the minority of people who actually new the origins of this nostalgic ditty. Suffice to say, nobody could hear my outburst and mirth. In addition, it was quite different than the overplayed version from the eighties.

When they informed the crowd they had one more song and then had to go, the crowd hissed and moaned. Fortunately, they made the last one count. To finish off their set, the singer walked, yes literally walked, on the audience - i.e he wasn't just being body passed, and finished in a running back's pose with one foot held up high as the other sank deeper. With the mike to his mouth and his right hand raised, he belted out the final notes as the instrumentalists made their instruments wail.

ANew Revolution at WJJO Band Camp 2006; © WJJO
ANew Revolution at WJJO's Band Camp 2006 (© WJJO)

I have plenty of comments to share about this band. All of them would make my friends and mammy happy.

Rating: 4.25/5


Added: August 18th 2006
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner

Artist website: www.myspace.com/anewrevolution
Hits: 2494
Language: english
  

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