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BANDS: Punk
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Lloyd Dobler Effect with My Blue Pill
My Blue Pill, a Virginia-based band comprised of James Madison University students Chris Castiglione (vocals, guitar), Nick Lombardi (guitar, bass), Behvin McDonell (cello, keyboards), Caleb Vessey (drum kit), and Dave Strong (hand percussion) took to the stage at Mainstreet Bar & Grill in October to open up for The Lloyd Dobler Effect. My Blue Pills sound is an eclectic mixture of mellow vocals, intelligently written melodies, all intertwined with a haunting cello, played by Behvin. Musically, there appear to be punk influences, along with minute traces of folk and pop. My Blue Pill performed several songs from their Locus CD, including the astounding track Tagalong, which changes tempo and vocal styles abundantly, without sounding coarse, or irregular. Castiglione delivered an adept, and powerful cover of Radioheads Talk Show Host at the pinnacle of the set. Overall, My Blue Pills on-stage performance was energetic, yet mellow; a flawless set of vocally sound, musically potent songs unlike anything available on mainstream radio.
Following My Blue Pill was the Maryland-based band, The Lloyd Dobler Effect. Phil Kominski, lead vocalist, also plays guitar. Javier Godinez expertly plays the violin, Rusty Williams handles percussion and lends his sultry voice to a few tracks, Rod Godinez is the bass player, while Donnie Williams on drums, rounds out the lineup. Phil, who is as charming on stage as he is talented, spoke frequently in between songs, which brought a high level of intimacy to the set. He narrated one particularly humorous tale of an adulterous (now) ex-girlfriend, who caused him to meet the subject of the song Stranger. Rusty Williams, the aforementioned percussion man joined Phil to sing a rock version of Regulate, the wildly popular 90s tune by Nate Dogg and Warren G. Similar to many of todays bands, LDE brought a fresh combination of rap and modern rock to the stage, pleasing the diverse audience at Mainstreet. Their sound is great, their tunes are catchy, with an almost reggae feel about them. Phil and LDE performed for more than an hour, bringing their arsenal of original, feel-good modern rock along with them. The show went off without a hitch, highlighted by monster instrumental breaks, pure vocals, and comic relief. Overloaded with talent, the band was adored by the entire audience, proving that local talent can be explosive and entertaining.
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