The Cup That Everyone Will Drink From

(Cool play on words, but I didn't come up with it. Credit goes out to Gerard)

Hey, Let's play a show! Honestly what else is a band supposed to do on a Saturday night?

May 22nd at the Cup, what a surprise. (Is it a reoccurring rant that the disgruntled body of bands only plays at the Cup?) Nevertheless to quote Dylan Klein of my band, "It's just another day at the office". Well said Dylan. We are in a band and our job is to play. Just like the daily trek to work, the Cup has become the office. Our co-workers are the other bands playing, and the fans, well...they are the higherups, simply for the fact that we have to impress them, and hopefully move up in their favor. The more people you bring to the Cup is kind of like more publicity to the company. In turn, the more publicity, the more money there is to be made. That is also not to say that we are all in it for the money, because if that were the case we'd all have been fired.

So with that aside we perform really hard at work until one day we are recognized and moved to a better office a.k.a. Madison Square Garden...too much. I'll settle for one of the many non dancing ballrooms scatered about the tri-state area.

After work we all go out for happy hour (Colonade, Wendy's White Castle, A&W, etc.). We spend the money we don't have on over priced food despite the bounty of food possibly located in ones homes. Why do we do this? The easy answer is, I don't know. But if you dig a little further, it is because we are hungry right now, and there are friends near. (Sorry I have nothing inspirational to insert here). Sadly, this is where my analogy ends, and I'll actually talk about something relavent.

Local band promoter and contributor for Broken Records Magazine, Gerard Ucelli wanted to put together a special show.

"How many times have you guys been to the Cup to see a friends band, and you only see 40 people the max. Well let me say F*** That. This show will create a change in this music scene. Diversity means everything, and on top of that so does kicking a**. Your dealing with sub genres ranging from acoustic, punk, ska punk, metal, post hardcore, fusion/experimental, and alternative. I'm not making a penny off this show purposely. This is going all to the bands after the Cups' cut."

- Gerard Ucelli

(Thesibandguy is a family blog, naughty words and things you don't say around white grandma's will be not be tolerated).

Gerard is making a bold statement in the music scene, for he too has a passion just like I do. If all of us bands would just learn how to fight along side of each other, so to speak, we'd be a better scene. There is so much band drama, and musical prejudices that go on even in this small scale of an island. I have seen many good bands fall apart because of stupid things, or just overall lack of working together. I have also been to shows where every person has walked out on another band just because they don't "listen" to that genre without even giving them a chance to play. Give them a chance to suck before you jump to conclusions. Who knows, maybe you'll love them, and you just made a musical connection. And it is not just the fans, bands are guilty too. I'm guilty of it. My band has had it done to us before, and it sucks. Gerard I applaud you.

Seven bands were choosen to shake things up that night. Here they are:

IV Not Naken 6:45 http://www.myspace.com/ivnottaken
the Excitement 7:30 http://www.myspace.com/theexcitementband
Fridays Nightmare 8:15
Figurehead 9:00 http://www.myspace.com/burninside2009
Process of Fusion 9:45 http://www.myspace.com/processoffusion
Kick 10:30 http://www.myspace.com/kickrocknroll
Through the Year 11:15 http://www.myspace.com/throughtheyearsiny

Be sure to check out the links and give each of these bands a listen. I'm not going to give my commentary on the show because I was not able to get there at the beginning. I arrived shortly before my band had to go on. From what I saw there was a pretty good crowd, and a good amount of new faces which is always exciting.

Ok here's where I bring it home. We all as musicians are different and unique. We have our selective tastes and styles and for the most part live by them. But what do you say every once in a while we sit down at the same table and share in something together. At the Last Supper Jesus and the Disciples sat down for a last meal together, and all drank wine from the same chalice. It was to signify a bond and a friendship. May 22nd, we're at the table and the cups' being passed around. This is the cup that everyone will drink from, and I'm thirsty...(Most definetly the corniest thing I ever wrote, but it stays).

I leave you with some pictures from the night...

(All Photos by Alexa DiMaio)

Special shoutout to Dave Harris, who played his last show as drummer for Through the Year. Another shoutout to Terri Caputo who is moving out from behind the drums for Process of Fusion.