Deal Casino, LLC, 2018

Interview and Album Review

By Henry Lipput

In a recent email exchange, CoolDad Music had the opportunity to talk to Deal Casino drummer, Chris Donofrio, about new album, LLC, and about the band's national tour. Below, is the result of our short exchange followed by a review of Deal Casino's latest LP.

CoolDad Music: Your first EPs came out in 2013, and it wasn't until 2017 that your first, self-titled, album came out. But, since then, you've released Isadora Duncan, an EP of new songs, and now a second album, LLC. To what do you attribute this burst in creativity?

Chris Donofrio: We decided to stop belaboring the pre-recording process, which up until this past year was to not hit the record button until every single finishing touch was put on every piece of music. With the newest body of work, we decided to have confidence in each other and just go into the studio with stuff that we wouldn't have previously considered "done;" and we actually discovered a more productive way to work for us.

CDM: Erik Kase Romero has moved up from engineer to producer on your recordings as of the Isadora Duncan EP. Has he made any changes on how the band puts together songs in the studio?

CD: Erik puts the most authentic touch on everything. Anything is possible. If you have an idea, screw it, put it on tape, it'll get used. He most definitely keeps us real, and erring on the side of the most artistic choice for the song.

CDM: Is this your first nationwide tour? Is there anything you've been looking forward to on the road? What's been the best experience so far?

CD: This is our first tour of this scale. Playing every single night is obviously wonderful, but the best experience has been talking to all these kids. The merch line after the gigs has been crazy and getting to talk to all these new fans we're trying to make is extremely enjoyable.

....

On LLC, band members Joe P (vocals and guitar), Joe C (guitar and keys), Jon Rodney (bass), and Chris Donofrio (drums), along with producer Erik Kase Romero, have refined their sound and created -- at least on first impression -- a stark, stripped-down album with songs of aging, loneliness, and missed connections and opportunities. But repeated listens -- and you are strongly encouraged to listen to this album more than a few times -- the songs grow on you, and the band's musical chops come into sharper focus.

One of the highlights of LLC is "Color TV." Fans of Deal Casino will recognize the song as the untitled, acoustic, 4-track demo that was on the band's Calidus EP from 2017. The version on the new album is a bit different with a choppy guitar and drum beats accompanying Joe P's ghostly and distant vocal. But, on the choru,s the elements that made the demo shine are again evident. It's the best of both worlds.

The lyrics of "Chocolate Cake" include instructions on dealing with the results of a night out ("You can hardly walk / Try and sleep it off") and two birthdays, one at 26 and the other at 36. It's not clear if it's the same person although they both have an aftertaste. It's a classic Deal Casino song in terms of both lyrics and melody, which means it's in the vicinity of terrific. There's a synth in the mix throughout the song culminating in an explosion of sound near the end that's somewhere between "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "A Day In The Life."

"Father’s Day" has a hushed vocal from Joe P. "Call you up on Father's Day / If you pick up what would I say? / Fill you in on what you missed / You shake my hand with your fist." There's also a great observation in the lyric: "All the pop stars look like porn stars / So much better on a screen." But he wants to make things better with the people in his world: "I'm learning how to engineer  / So I can fix everything next year." He repeats the line and then admits: "I can't fix anything;" and, as he moves on to the lines "Something's wrong / I don't belong," the solo guitar that has been used throughout the song is joined by the whole thrashing band as Joe begins yelling the words. It's a fantastic performance and should make for an amazing live moment.

"Happy People," a pop song with some very cool treated lead guitar work, is another number about birthdays and another year going by. "French Blonde" has Joe P doing some spoken word work and Rodney adds some slapped bass. It also has a march-rhythm workout for Donofrio. The rhythm track on "Terraforming" seems to have been lifted from a very old-school video game and concerns starting all over again whether it's in a relationship or on another planet. The lyric "Learning to breathe all over again" could work in either situation.

LLC is out now and available at Deal Casino's website or from wherever you like to get your digital music. Deal Casino's national tour with The Wrecks makes a hometown stop for the band at Asbury Lanes on Saturday, December 1.

Deal Casino, Isadora Duncan, 2018

EP Review

By Henry Lipput

Deal Casino's Isadora Duncan EP is their first batch of all-new songs since last year's terrific Deal Casino album (one of my top ten favorite releases last year). 2017 also saw them put out the Calidus EP which contained re-workings of some songs from the album and a sad, beautiful acoustic (and untitled) demo they've promised to record for their next album.

Last year's Calidus EP featured the title track, an eight-minute mashup of sorts of three songs from the debut album recorded live in one take in a New Jersey junk yard. This experience of taking a new look at the material has had an impact at what Deal Casino would do on Isadora Duncan.

In the past, I've said some Deal Casino songs have been influenced by artists as wide ranging as The Beatles and Radiohead. On the new EP, some of that shows up again.

The new EP is an excellent, mature work; and I mention The Beatles because Deal Casino (Joe P, Jozii, Jon Rodney, and Chris Donofrio) have begun to mix things up in the studio and expand their sonic palette like the Fab Four started to do beginning with Rubber Soul. On "Dirty T-Shirt," there's both a treated guitar throughout the song and a fuzzed guitar in the solo. I've been listening to Deal Casino since the Heck EP, and both of these sounds from the band are new to me.

"Dirty T-Shirt" is a post-breakup song with, it seems, one of the parties having left with all their clothes but ones that the other party had been wearing as well: "So you had to make due / With the smell of me all over you / Back then you didn't seem to mind / You used to wear me all the time / I guess it wore you out." And when a relationship ends, you begin to notice things you didn't before: "You're starting to show your age."

"Soft Machine" has a very 1980s indie vibe as well as some more manipulated instruments. Joe P sings in a falsetto and there's a big, Beatle-y crescendo in the chorus. "Paper Planes" sounds as if it would have fit nicely on the debut album between songs like "Human Cannonball" and
"Blueberry Pop." "I want everything," sings Joe P in the chorus. "I want everything all the time / Heaven's got away / I'm already living in Paradise."

"12 X 20" would not have been out of place on Radiohead's The Bends album. It's a spooky song that could be about a couple on the run and hiding from something or someone. "Wait right here / I'll tell you when the coast is clear / I'll tell you when it's safe."

Isadora Duncan is out now. Deal Casino will be celebrating with a release party on June 16th at Asbury Park's House of Independents. That one also features Sonic Blume, Well Wisher, and Haunt Club.

Deal Casino, Calidus, 2017

EP Review

By Henry Lipput

It's been less than six months since Deal Casino released their excellent, self-titled debut album; but, already, they've been revisiting some of those songs and working on new ones.

Calidus, the 4-song EP released today, includes a radio edit of "Blueberry Pop" and a gorgeous, acoustic take on "Red Balloon" with singer Joe P performing the song in a quiet, old warehouse space.

But the main reason for the EP is the eight-plus minute live performance of the title song. The band brought their instruments and a recording studio with them to a junkyard on a hot summer morning earlier this year (Calidus is a Latin word meaning hot or fiery). After setting things up throughout the day, in just one take, Deal Casino were able to capture the feeling of their live club performances in this medley of three songs.

Erik Kase Romero set up and engineered everything in the hot, dusty conditions. Anthony Yebra shot the accompanying video on film.

And then, there's a never-before-heard 4-track demo recording of a new, untitled song from their forthcoming second LP. It's a lovely song very much in the mode of "La La Land" from the album: "I'm upstairs in my room / You're downstairs dancing." It's a melancholy number, the Nick Drake to the Led Zeppelin of "Calidus."

Calidus is out now. Deal Casino will be playing Asbury Park's Convention Hall on December 9th in support of the EP release at the Second Annual Pop Break Locals Christmas Party.

Premiere: New Video from Deal Casino

"My Gun"

After three EPs and several years of relentless live performing, Asbury Park's Deal Casino released their long-awaited, debut LP last month. Our own Henry Lipput reviewed Deal Casino and called the album "the sound of a band at the peak of their powers." The band followed up the release with a sold-out show at Asbury Park's Stone Pony and appear poised for big things.

We've still got them here on our little, local music website, though; and, today, Deal Casino release the video for the album's opening track, "My Gun." The song goes from simmering to explosive, and the video explores the feedback loop that exists between media and society.

"This piece is about people, not politics," say the members of Deal Casino. They, once again, called upon the immensely talented Anthony Yebra to direct; and Yebra captured that sentiment perfectly. His video for "My Gun" is, at times, tense and jarring; but it, ultimately, reveals a faith in people's ability to think for themselves.

Watch Deal Casino's "My Gun" right here. Deal Casino is out now, and you can catch the band live at Brooklyn's Gold Sounds on August 13th.

Deal Casino, Deal Casino, 2017

Album Review

By Henry Lipput

Back in December of 2014 I ended my review of Heck, by the Asbury Park-based band Deal Casino, by asking: "With the release of their third, four-song EP, fans of the band can only be asking:  'When's the album coming out?'"

Well, it's the middle of 2017 and the Deal Casino album is finally here. And it's not as if they haven't been busy. Since Heck they've been out playing live; and they released the four-song EP Nika in July of 2015. Last December, the band put out the three-song Human Cannonball EP as a taster for the album.

Deal Casino is the sound of a band at the peak of their powers. It's as if they knew this was the right time to make the album instead of two or three years ago. With Joe P on vocals and guitar, Jozii on guitar and keys, Jon Rodney on bass, and Chris Donofrio on drums they're a world-class rock outfit. You just need to listen to tracks like the album's terrific, rocking "My Gun," the slow-burning "Human Cannonball," and the crunching and squealing guitars and drums and bass in lock-step rhythm of "Panama Papers." And am I reaching to hear a bit of The Beatles in "Blueberry Pop," "Purple," and "Living Skinny?"

Joe P's vocals on "My Gun," the album's opening track, show the influence of Jeff Buckley; and it's a great thing to hear. He also does a bit of acting in the vocals on "Chelsea's Wedding" when he sings, "I pour myself into a glass / Pour myself into a joint / And wait for the time to pass;" you can hear the alcohol, drugs, and exhaustion in his voice. There's also a bit of Love Is Hell-era Ryan Adams going on as well.

You shouldn't be waiting for an album or EP to end, but it turns out my favorite songs on Deal Casino releases are always the last ones, the slower, sadder songs. I still love "Flying Cars" from Heck, and "Anything That’s Bad" on Nika is also a keeper. So it stands to reason that I would be drawn to the gorgeous "La La Land" on Deal Casino. "I always call her 'Baby' / But she answers to her first and last" may be my favorite line from the song, and there's also a fabulous guitar break that sends the song to a higher place just before the chorus kicks in.

Deal Casino took their time in making this album. You shouldn't take your time in getting a copy of it.

Deal Casino, the album, is out now and available from your favorite digital vendors or over at Deal Casino's Bandcamp page. Deal Casino, the band, are having their record-release party at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park TONIGHT, July 21st. Joining them on that bill are Born Cages and The Cold Seas.

Photos from a Big Weekend of Record Releases and Surf Music: Deal Casino, Hey Anna, dollys, Smalltalk, Dentist, Black Flamingos, Night Birds, MORE

Husband and wife Vincent Minervino of The Brigantines and Magdalena O'Connell organized the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival.

Nika, Run Koko, and The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival

A couple of weekends ago, I stopped into Asbury Lanes during one of their Eat, Drink, Bowl, Hang Friday nights. "Where have you been? It's been weeks."

It had been a little while since I'd been at Asbury Lanes. CoolMom's been doing a lot of traveling. I spent some time in Brooklyn for Northside Festival. The cooldaughters have their evening swim meets. I just haven't been getting out there like I usually do. I made up for lost time this weekend, though.

Friday saw record releases from both Deal Casino and Hey Anna. Deal Casino held their party for Nika at Asbury Lanes with Smalltalk, dollys, and Deaf Rhino. They absolutely packed out the place and pulled out all the stops with extra lights, smoke, and their usual all-out show. Hey Anna went a little more low-key, but no less impressive, at the Run Koko release with a late set at The Saint.

On Saturday, Asbury Lanes hosted the second annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival. I spent from 1pm until about 1am enjoying the music, taking pictures, hanging out with friends, and -- yeah -- trying a couple of the tiki drinks. I was blown away by traditional surf bands like Blue Wave Theory and The Sharkskins. As always, our friends in The Brigantines, Black Flamingos, and Dentist were fantastic. Things got harder and darker as the day closed with great sets from Night Birds and The Coffin Daggers. Special shout out to Disco Mike, who danced non-stop, all day long to just about every band that played.

Click through on the links below for pictures from both days.

NOTE: Thanks to some slow service at the North Eats food truck pavilion, I missed one band at the festival. Sadly, that band was one of our favorites, Plato Zorba. I came back inside the Lanes and Ryan Gregg was just dismantling his keyboard. Damn. I hear there was a mummy and everything. They are a fantastic avant-garde surf band, and I urge you to check out their album Pageant of the Transmundane. Also, here are some pics from their release show a while back.

Friday, 7/10/15

Asbury Lanes
Deaf Rhino

dollys

Smalltalk

Deal Casino

The Saint
Hey Anna

Saturday, 7/11/15

The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival at Asbury Lanes

The Primitive Finks

Deal Casino, Nika, 2015

EP Review

There was a time when pop rock music was both cool and popular. I remember being 17 and scrambling like crazy along with all of my alternative music-listening friends to scoop up tickets to as many dates as we could for U2's Joshua Tree tour. Those were the days when you either had to sit in the street outside the Ticketron machine at Jack's Music Shoppe or just keep hitting re-dial on your phone. We saw U2 a couple of times in East Rutherford, in NYC, and once in Philly when Bruce Springsteen joined the band for a duet of "Stand By Me" with a broken-armed Bono.

I just looked up Billboard's year-end Top 100 for 1987, and U2 had two entries in the top 40: "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." Crowded House, Genesis, and Heart also made that list. Bands like that -- Yes. Even Heart. Have you ever heard Nancy Wilson shred? -- wouldn't get near the Top 40 today. And, with a few exceptions -- Raidohead, The National -- that emotional and anthemic U2-style rock music hasn't penetrated the consciousness of 21st century cool kids.

Asbury Park via Sparta, NJ quartet, Deal Casino, appear to be positioning themselves -- at least locally -- at that old nexus of popular and cool by working some of the same territory that bands like U2, Coldplay, Radiohead, and The National have been able to turn into arena-filling success. On their latest effort, Nika, the band rely on chiming guitars and crests of emotion to pull in the listener.

"Soaring high...," sings frontman / guitarist Joe Parella on "Halley" over the build-up of the delay drenched guitar work of Parella and Jozii Cowell. It's an apt description of Deal Casino's overall sound, which relies heavily on the ultimate release of an ever-increasing tension. The song itself is a lyrically clever conflation of the object of Parella's affection with the comet of the same name.

"Bare Hands" has been a staple of Deal Casino's live set for a while now. It's got kind of a throwback 70s feel to it -- funk, falsetto --, and the song is driven by the rhythm section of Mike Linardi on drums and Jon Rodney on bass. "Red" is probably the hardest rocker on Nika. Lindardi's drumming and Parella's double entendres are the focus; and, while it's got a darker feel, it has a memorable hook just like all the songs in the set.

The EP closes with "Anything That's Bad." As the song marches quietly along atop a lot of what the band have established to this point, -- Lindardi's drumming, echoing guitars, Parella's emotionally pained vocals -- you wait for that burst you know is coming. You kind of get it at about three minutes in as the band add layers to the song; but, in this case, it's more of a slowly building burn than an explosion.

Produced by Jon Leidersdorff and engineered by Erik Kase Romero at Lakehouse Recording Studios, Deal Casino tracked Nika live to tape, which may account for some of that 20th century feel I get from the recording. Live, the band have that 20th century effect of uniting the pop lovers and the rockers. I've watched their crowds at shows and marveled at the diversity of Deal Casino's fanbase. I don't think that I, or anyone else these days, knows the formula for success; but that's got to be part of it.

Deal Casino's Nika is out this Friday, July 10th. The band are celebrating with a release show that night at Asbury Lanes along with Smalltalk, dollys, and Deaf Rhino. It's a bill that blends retro sounds, pop, and rock. Kind of like the headliners themselves.

2 Days. 9 Bands. Lots of Really Good Music. 6/19-6/20/15

dollys released 'Oh, Please' at Court Tavern on Friday night.

Just the Pix

It's Father's Day, so I'm not going to do a big post recapping all the bands I saw on Friday and Saturday nights. Let's just say that everyone turned in really good sets, and you should check them all out via their social media pages and Bandcamps. There was a pretty wide variety, so there's bound to be something you'll dig. The lighting was unusually good over the last two nights, and I think I got some nice shots.

Special shouts out to dollys for putting out such a truly great record and to Dentist for just being great friends and drinking buddies.

Also, raise a glass today to all the cooldads -- those still with us and those watching over us from somewhere else.

Court Tavern, 6/19

The Vaughns

ROMP

Deal Casino

dollys

Rocky Catanese and The Chapter

Wonder Bar, 6/20

Ba Babes

The Villanelles

Dentist

Long Faces

Photo Highlights of Scenes Collide AP / NB Showcase at The Stone Pony, 3/20/15

I finally got to see Amy Malkoff and The Moonshines do their own thing as a full band.

This Had to Be the Last of It

I was obsessively checking my email for the announcement from the school that the evening's performance of Shrek The Musical Jr. would be canceled. I scanned my Facebook feed expecting to see word that the show at The Stone Pony would be postponed. As the snow / slush piled up, though, both shook their metaphorical fists in the air and said, "It's spring damnit! Screw the snow! Let's do this!" And they did it.

The middle schoolers at Markham Place acquitted themselves quite well during the abridged version of the Broadway musical version of the Disney / Pixar animated feature. I sat grinning like a fool every time CoolDaughter #1 and the rest of the ensemble players made their way onto the stage. CoolDaughter #2 cracked up throughout.

We got out of there a little after 9; and, after cleaning off the car and dropping everyone at home, I headed to The Stone Pony. I arrived just as Plato Zorba's set had gotten underway. Unfortunately, I'd missed Feeny, Monterey, and City Limits. Next time guys. Plato Zorba played as a trio since keyboardist Ryan Gregg was over at The Saint playing with his other project, The Shady Street Show Band. It's pretty easy to get lost in the cinematic, surfy virtuosity of the band; and the crowd seemed to eat it up.

The Black Sox Scandal, representing New Brunswick, were next and did a set of fast-paced pop punk. Even when they said they were slowing things down, things didn't slow down that much, which was fine. They'll be at The Brighton on Sunday, March 22nd.

I finally got to see Amy Malkoff and The Moonshines as a full band doing their own songs. I'd seen Amy solo before, and I saw the band's great set as Black Sabbath on Halloween; but I'm pretty sure this was my first time catching them doing their own thing. I definitely saw why they were able to pull off such a good Black Sabbath set as their own sound is loud, pure rock. It's highlighted by Eric Rudic's guitar and, of course, Malkoff's vocals.

Attendance at last night's event was, understandably, a little off; but people magically appeared for The Moonshines' set. The crowd swelled even more for Deal Casino who again whipped their fans into a frenzy. A couple of guys jumped on stage to scream the chorus to "BANG BANG BANG," and I'm telling you. This Deal Casino pants thing is becoming an actual thing.

Anyway.

North Jersey quartet NGHTCRWLRS, also representing New Brunswick, closed things out. The band and the remaining crowd were all a little punchy after a long night and some harrowing drives, but NGHTCRWLRS turned in a good set featuring songs from their just-released, self-titled LP. I posted a video of part of their performance a little earlier today.

It felt good giving winter the finger one (hopefully) final time last night. Here are some photo highlights. The rest of the pics are in the Flickr galleries, and you can totally click here to see them all.

The Inaugural Arcade Radio Broadcast Featured Comedian Dave Hill, Dentist, and a Video Premiere from Deal Casino, 3/3/15 (PHOTOS)

"Fortyfive"

The Stone Pony stage had a pretty cool light setup going for the first installment of the Arcade Radio Broadcast series last night. DJs Mike Merrell and Magic Juan spun tunes from The Pixies, The Buzzcocks, INXS, and more as a nice crowd turned out in some nasty weather. Basically, it looked like it was going to be a good-looking, good-sounding party.

NYC comedian / writer / guitar shredder Dave Hill opened the evening with a really funny set. It included several of his erotic short stories and the "essence" or "gist" of several cover songs. Dentist played another great set, and I'm not exaggerating when I say they just keep sounding better. Their new songs sound great, and they've really honed their older material. Deal Casino did their usual high energy, blow-the-doors-off set right after premiering the new video for Heck track "Fortyfive."

Things looked and sounded really good all evening.

Here's the video:



And here are photo highlights from everyone. See more by clicking the "Galleries" tab.

Pics of Overlake, I Have Been Floated, JoeP of Deal Casino, and Doug Zambon at Happy Mondays, 2/28/15

Overlake

Shoegaze and Surprise Guests

Jersey City's Overlake, one of the bands that graciously played the Little Dickman Records / CoolDad Music holiday benefit at the end of last year, were back in Asbury Park last night to kick off the latest edition of Happy Mondays. I'm a sucker for shoegaze, and Overlake are making some of my favorite sounds right now. They even do their own take on an mbv-like "holocaust section," filling the venue with a few minutes of sustained noise. So awesome.

Also on the bill were I Have Been Floated, who turned in a set of psychedelic jams, and The Drive Home. The Drive Home, unfortunately, had to cancel; but Deal Casino's Joe Parella stepped up to do a short fill-in acoustic slot ahead of his own band's free video release show tonight at The Stone Pony. After Parella, talented songwriter, Vansaders frontman, and Happy Mondays regular Doug Zambon treated the remaining crowd to a few of his own songs.

Photo Geek Talk Warning.
I'm a pretty absent-minded person, and I'm pretty sure it isn't age related. I took a few shots at a very dark Brooklyn venue on Saturday; and, last night, I forgot to set my camera's ISO back to a more reasonable level. I did the whole show at 6400, which is totally unnecessary for the stage at Wonder Bar. It gave me a chance, though, to see how my mirrorless camera performs at such a high setting; and, while it isn't ideal, I think it did a pretty good job.

You can see some highlights here and the rest of the photos at Flickr to judge for yourself.

The Battery Electric Celebrated The Heart and The Thrill at Asbury Lanes w/ Deal Casino, The Von Mons, and Black Wail, 2/21/15 (PHOTOS)

F*@k The Snow!

"...and thanks so much to all of you who risked your lives to come out and party with us tonight!"

That was The Battery Electric's Ron Santee to all of us in the audience who had, in many cases, actually risked our lives to make it out to Asbury Lanes in yesterday's snow storm.

I'd seen it in my Facebook feed all afternoon. The Stone Pony, Asbury Park Yacht Club, The Meatlocker in Montclair: canceled. The release show for The Heart and The Thrill, though was a go. Frankenstein 3000, whose guitarist is not local, unfortunately had to pull out of the show; but four bands remained on the bill. I climbed into CoolMom's new AWD-equipped car and began the harrowing trip down to Asbury Park.

My usually 18-minute (Yes, I know exactly how long it takes by now) trip took me 45 minutes; but by the time I got to Asbury Lanes, the snow had turned to rain. I walked inside thinking about the slick and slushy ride home that awaited me.

Being down one band and wanting to give folks some extra time to arrive, the powers that be decided to push the start time for the festivities back to 8:35. That's when Jersey City's Black Wail took the stage. Out of all the bands on the bill, they were the only mystery to me as I'd never heard them before. Their 70s-style hard rock fit right in with The Battery Electric, and I think they won more than a few converts with their set.

Asbury's own garage rockers, The Von Mons, were next; and they were as snottily raucous as you'd expect. They did it all without their usual props and paraphernalia this time, which just showed that their set can stand on its own.

Deal Casino were I guess what's called in the industry "main support" for the evening. They had a pretty large contingent of fans in the audience, and it was cool to see the seemingly disparate Deal Casino and Battery Electric fan bases united in Asbury Park solidarity. I say "disparate," but I've seen a few Battery Electric denims at Deal Casino shows; and I'm sure I've seen the Deal Casino guys supporting their Battery buddies.

I've seen Deal Casino perform several times since their own record release show at the end of last year, and their commitment to putting on a great show impresses me more and more each time. They whip their fans into a frenzy, and it's easy to see that they work exceptionally hard to ensure that each of their live experiences is special. In that sense, they actually have quite a bit in common with The Battery Electric.

The lovely Bradgelina, who bore a striking resemblance to Brad from The Wonder Bar, introduced The Battery Electric. The band lit into The Heart and The Thrill's opening track, "Heathen;" and from there, it was a free-for-all. The crowd immediately started surging against the stage; and Alex Rosen, Ron Santee, and Brent Bergholm each had their own intimate fan encounters throughout the night. From the guy licking Alex's bass to the entire crowd singing into Ron's mic to the random groping and poking experienced by Brent each time he came to the edge of the stage, the whole thing was a very... ...social... ...experience.

The band brought a fan, Jake Healy, up to the stage to show off his new Battery Electric tattoo (so far, one of just three in the world). Healy then proceeded to launch himself on top of the crowd before disappearing into the sea of bodies only to appear again right up against the stage.

The Bouncing Souls' Pete Steinkopf, who produced The Heart and The Thrill, joined the band for covers of AC / DC's "Dirty Deeds" and Battery Electric set staple "Where Eagles Dare" by The Misfits. "Where Eagles Dare" is always an absolutely bonkers part of a Battery Electric show; and last night, things were turned up to 11.

As the band finished up, bassist Alex Rosen hurled his six-foot-four? six-foot-five? frame into the audience and surfed the crowd without getting a concussion this time. Afterwards, Asbury Lanes remained relatively packed until nearly closing time as friends old and new basked in the afterglow of an all-out rock show.

It was a rock show that, even as I neared the venue slipping and sliding down Route 35, I didn't think was going to happen last night. But The Battery Electric and Deal Casino and The Von Mons and Black Wail weren't going to let a little snow scare them away. They're all way too badass for that.

Here are some photo highlights. All of the photos are at Flickr.

A Whole Bunch of Bands (Semiotics, ROMP, Dollys, Monterey, Deal Casino) Played The Court Tavern, 1/30/15 (PHOTOS)

Deal Casino closed out a friend-filled night at New Brunswick's Court Tavern

Support Local Music

"I'm impressed."

That was ROMP vocalist / keyboardist Madison Klarer's mom to me just after her daughter's band had finished their set and the last chants of "ROMP IS TIGHT!!" had died away. It's great to have supportive parents. Last night -- like a lot of nights I've experienced over the last couple of years -- showed that it's great to have a support system in general.

You could feel the network of support that each of the bands on last night's bill had built among each other. When bands weren't on stage, their members were front and center, pumping fists and singing along.

Semiotics, whose Banana Stand basement venue has given many bands a welcoming place to play, started things off. After interacting with them via social media for so long, it was nice to finally catch one of their sets. Monterey guitarist Matt DeBenedetti was right up front singing along with the band's wordy pop punk.

ROMP were next and commented a couple of times on how rare it was for them to be playing a "real venue" rather than a basement. The Court Tavern's sound system had them (and everyone else) sounding pretty good; and, while there was a little more room to move around, the vibe was pretty close to the basement where I'd seen them last weekend. Madison's mom was incredulous -- and impressed -- when I told her that things at Paradise Lost may have been a notch higher on the crazy scale.

Guitarist Lucas Dalakian shares a house and a side project with some of the members of Monterey; and, once again, the singalong section up front was heavy with members of other bands.

Dollys were back from kind of a mini hiatus, this time as a trio. Some of my favorite bands are trios, and Dollys' sound didn't suffer by being down a guitar. Guitarist Jeff Lane mentioned that The Court Tavern feels like home for the band.

When Monterey took the stage, Matt DeBenedetti commented, "You know it's been a good night when you don't have a voice for your own set." He and the rest of the band managed, though, getting reciprocal treatment from everyone they'd been supporting throughout the evening.

Finally, Deal Casino started their closing set just after 12. The Asbury Park band have just as many fans in New Brunswick it seems. I'm more amazed every time I see this band whip the crowd into a frenzy. Lead singer Joe P, as he introduced "Hurricane," said, "This song is about those times when a bunch of people stay to watch you at 1AM at The Court Tavern, because sometimes that's all you have."

I see it here in Asbury Park all the time, and last night I saw it in New Brunswick. Bands, friends, family out there for each other, supporting each other in what they're doing and having a genuinely fantastic time. Not just a great time at a good show, but a great time sharing the experience with their support system.

Here are some photo highlights. You can view, grab, whatever the rest in the Flickr galleries.

Deal Casino, The Hsu-nami, GayGuy / StraightGuy, and The House of Thieves Played Wonder Bar, 1/10/15 (PHOTOS)

The Wonder Bar hosted the "Brent's Stolen Gear Fundraiser" on Saturday night.

Brent's Stolen Gear Benefit

Dark City Entertainment hosted a show on Saturday night to help Battery Electric / Hsu-nami guitarist, Brent Övar Bergholm, raise funds to replace the gear he had stolen from his car a couple of months back. The healthy turnout was evidence both of how much people are willing to help out and of the strength of Saturday night's bill.

It was a pretty eclectic selection of acts including the prog / post-hardcore of New Jersey's House of Thieves, the heavy rock of GayGuy / StraightGuy, the Chinese violin-fronted instrumental prog of The Hsu-Nami, and the pop rock of Deal Casino.

The House of Thieves did some deeply personal songs and provided an emotional -- and loud -- beginning to the evening. People were just filing in during their early set.

It had been a while since I'd seen GayGuy / StraightGuy, and they seem to have gotten even better over the last several months. To close their set, Alex Rosen (The Battery Electric / Hot Blood) and Brent joined them for a cover of Nirvana's "Territorial Pissings." It made me even sorrier for missing GG/SG's New Year's Eve full Nirvana cover set.

I'd never seen The Hsu-nami before. They blew me away. The sound of the Chinese violin (erhu, actually) combined with Bergholm's shredding was a unique experience. Brent said he chose to perform with Hsu-nami on Saturday because most of what had been stolen had traveled the world with him on tour with that band. Mike Petzinger, whose photos you've probably seen many times on social media, stood in on bass. He did a fine job pretending not to notice the cameras.

Deal Casino closed things out. Their relentless performing -- including a summer long residency at The Saint -- has built them a wildly enthusiastic local fanbase. I think they may even be starting a minor fashion trend, judging by the trouser choices of a few people in the audience. They did their usual highly professional, highly energetic, impressive set; and the crowd that gathered near the stage sang almost every word.

Here are photo highlights from each performance. I took even more pictures than usual, I think; so don't forget to check out the full sets at Flickr.

Deal Casino Released Heck with a Big Party at Asbury Lanes, 12/11/14 (PHOTOS)

Dollys, Modern Chemistry, Monterey Played Too

Deal Casino have really made themselves a home in Asbury Park. They took as their band name the name of a beach club just a few towns over, and established themselves as a local force with a full summer of Sundays at Asbury Park institution, The Saint. Last night Deal Casino took to Asbury Lanes to celebrate the release of their latest EP, Heck.

They packed out the bill with their friends in Dollys, Modern Chemistry, and Monterey. While those bands may differ in sound -- from the pristine pop of Dollys to the straight-up rock of Modern Chemistry to the punk-influenced pop rock of Monterey -- each band, like Deal Casino, displays an attention to detail and a serious work ethic when it comes to putting on a show. Throughout the night, I heard people describing every band on the bill as "solid," "tight," and just "really good." And from the first notes of Monterey's set to the closing moments of the set by Deal Casino, the floor in front of the stage was packed with fans.

Deal Casino put on a set that showed why they've developed such a following here over the last year or so since the release of The Runaways. Frontman Joe Parella, decked out in his pompadour and faux fur, sells every song. Guitarist Joe Cowell is non-stop energy, and the rhythm section of Jon Rodney and Mike Linardi do a good job of holding things down.

The set included songs from Heck, The Runaways, and several covers including "Baba O'Riley," "Where Is My Mind," and "Bad Reputation." The audience was a mix of devoted fans and people who'd come to see what all the fuss was about. Everyone, I'm sure, left impressed by the show.

Here are highlights from each set. You can check out the rest of the pics in the Flickr galleries once I get them uploaded.

Deal Casino, Heck, 2014

EP Review

Henry Lipput returns with another review for us. This time he tackles Heck, the latest from Deal Casino. The band have made quite a splash locally in the last year with some relentless gigging. They had a regular, and very popular, free Sunday night residency at The Saint during the summer of 2014.

Deal Casino release Heck this week with a show on Thursday night at Asbury Lanes featuring a stacked bill. Dollys, Modern Chemistry, and Monterey will help celebrate.

Deal Casino, Heck

by Henry Lipput

Originally hailing from Sparta (NJ, not Greece, though that would be cool, too), Deal Casino are about to release Heck, their third EP.

Recorded at Lakehouse Recording Studio in Asbury Park, their new disc continues their guitar-heavy sound with upfront vocals.  Although obviously influenced by Coldplay, Deal Casino rock harder.

The disc opens with "Bang Bang Bang" a song that combines Edge(y) guitars, a great sense of dynamics, and a slow bridge that tips its hat to both Chris Martin and Radiohead.  It’s a terrific mix that starts the EP with a bang. (I couldn’t help myself.)

The rollicking, sexy "Fortyfive" is the band’s "Stacy’s Mom," except this time the boy does more than just get a peek when he’s mowing the lawn: "I’ve been playing with fire / She’s my boss’s new wife / And she’s fortyfive."

"Downtown" starts out slow and quiet like "Hurricane" off of 2013's The Runaways EP and then kicks it in.  The guitars really get a workout. There are cool backing vocals, and lead singer Joe Parella yelps and coos with equal gusto.

Like the Hoodoo Guru’s "1000 Miles Away," the closer "Flying Cars" is about being on the road and missing a loved one.  On the quiet, lovely, and lonely "Flying Cars," you can almost see the smile on Parella’s face when he’s singing about the girl who‘s so far away and the things connecting them: "But it’s a Bruce song in the background / I smile / 'Cause I know you would, too."

With the release of the band's third, four-song EP, fans can only be asking:  "When’s the album coming out?"