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Good music, no matter what genre, endures all fads. It doesn’t
have a shelf life. It has to have groove; it needs layers,
texture, and visceral energy. And you have to be able to bring
it alive when it comes time to get onstage. BANTAM’s singer/guitarist
GINA VOLPE knows this. She had plenty of time to practice
with her other band, the seminal NYC punk rock band the LUNACHICKS.
Now she takes a new turn and brings it up a few notches with
her NYC power trio BANTAM. Making heavy rock n roll that you’ll
keep coming back to, after all the glitter and grime wears
off of the other stuff.
BANTAM’s latest release, “Suicide
Tourist” (and follow up to their self titled debut release
2002) is further proof of the bands growth since forming in
2001. 13 songs that span a wide range of raw emotion and blunt
aggression “... Marrying brute force with bewitching
melodies, the songs drop like an anvil-a sexy anvil…”- Village
Voice.
BANTAM’s other key ingredients are made up of drummer Pete,
hitting the drums like they owe him money (which he always
gets) and bassist Doug whose angelic vocals contrasted with
his deep booming bass completes the trio's sonic punch.
People routinely flock to BANTAM shows, pack
clubs wall-to-wall, and bang their heads in unison to monolithic
tunes. BANTAM’s rock is self-sustaining. Sharing
the stage with High On Fire, Eagles of Death Metal, Nashville
Pussy, Tribe 8, and The Butchies, to name a few.
With songs that are equal parts bruising and
blushing, BANTAM is out to light a flame under the ass of
rock-n-roll. More albums. More shows. More sore necks, broken
strings, crumbling drum kits, frenetic fans. MORE ROCK. It
has to happen. It just does. |