Pisces Cafe Swims On

by Alan Civil
photos by Dee Loebl*

Pisces Cafe swims into its third year,
continuing to present a variety of Long Island's best songwriters.
Here are some highlights from the past two months.

On April 2nd, Dave Isaacs brought his exuberant brand of Americana to the cafe. Dave has led country band Jackalope Junction, and is currently splitting his time between giving lessons and touring the country as a solo act. He has mastered many styles of guitar, from classical to twang, and his engaging vocals deliver his songs with emotion and intelligence. Standouts were "Isabella," from his "Prodigal Son" CD, and "One More Reason To Hang Around," which sounds to me like a plea against taking one's own life. Also affecting was a song about a backwoods radio station that still plays the "real" country music. Patsy O'Brien, a native of Ireland who now resides in Connecticut, opened the evening with a solid set of his own tunes, and then joined Dave for some more rocking stuff, along with bassist Barry Waller. O'Brien's mix of influences is also wide, and he included a jazzy version of the traditional tune "Star Of The County Down," as well as the punky "One Night At The Confusion Bar." Dave Isaacs is planning a move off of Long Island, so it would be best to catch him soon while he is still nearby.


On April 23rd, two very upbeat bands invaded the Pisces for a scintillating evening. The trio known as Vitamin D seems to draw equally from the quirky side of New Wave and from the jam band scene. With two quite original songwriters, there is never a dull moment. Dee Loebl sings her wistful and philosophical lyrics against solid rhythmic riffs. Her memorable tunes include "Where I Left You," "The Journey," and "This Is As Real As It Gets." It's nice to hear a woman not just wielding an electric guitar, but making excellent use of various effects boxes as well. Vicki Liotta is a more than capable drummer, and adds odd-but-right harmonies. Mark Loebl is not just the bassist, but the base on which Vitamin D's sound pirouettes. Whether booming out a veritable quarry of rock riffs, or unleashing the "funk monster," he sets the audience's toes tapping. His deep voice delivers wry and cantankerous comments on world events as well as on suburban glitches. "Intersection," "Why?" and "Make A Little Love" are all hits waiting to happen.*photo provided by V. Liotta

In between Vitamin D's two sets, Sour Grapes brought something completely different. Ellen Iovino plays the congas (not bongos!) and Larry Ruhl strums acoustic and blows harmonica, while both sing, and both tap dance. That's right, I said Tap Dance. Also residents of Connecticut, they bring their own floor and tap shoes, and punctuate their rollicking songs with persuasive percussion. The overall effect is of a 21st Century vaudeville act, and anyone who can sit through their set without a smile creeping onto their face must be extremely depressed. This self-described "tribal folk" duo will "try anything to get you up to dance," but also warn that there is "absolutely no nude dancing in here."*photo provided by Sour Grapes

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A week later the Pisces Cafe hosted three acts who are all quite different, yet complementary. Chris Peters is a wizard of the keyboard. He flows easily from baroque invention to jazz improvisation, and is a master of the famous electronic Theremin, as well as of instruments of his own devise. Peters plays with his image too, morphing from an operatic phantom into a mad scientist.


Killer Kelp was next, and if I had to compare their sound to someone I'd say the B-52's, but that does them a disservice... they are so much more. Tom Menninger lays down a moody groove on keyboards and drum machine, while Kate Donohue adds color and twang on her semi-acoustic Guild, making good use of that forgotten delight, the tremolo bar. Denise Hughes is one smooth and silken vocalist, barely masking the drama and menace of the lyrics. Creatures like their namesake Kelp and the "Land Shark" run rampant. Kate's "Slow Down" offers a brief respite from the dark but funky proceedings. A fun band.





Hank Stone has been achieving some note among his peers for the sheer variety of his compositions. From the family-friendly "Come Play" and "Blue Crayon," to the murder confession of "Red" and the sad suicide tale "A Riddle," Hank delivers his tunes with a rough but ready voice and a confident and chameleonic guitar style. Notable are his elegies to his idols John Lennon and Bob Marley.




Another week later, May 7th, two more of Long Island's fine young songwriters and singers rotated sets in what was billed as a "bi-polar" evening. Jeremy Gilchrist represents the down-side of that formula. His tunes spin off from a Neil Young/Pink Floyd axis, and while they do speak of depressing subjects like alienation, drug addiction, and terrorism, there is always hope for a way out. Nautical themes figure in "88 Knots" and "Category 4," while "The Otherland" turns a cold unblinking eye on this Long Sandbar. Gilchrist possesses several fine instruments; one of them is his voice, which can leap mid-song from a smooth mid-range into a strong falsetto, and he can even scat. A new song, still being worked on, advises us to "tear down the radio towers," a sentiment shared by many local musicians! His CD "A Bohemian Delusion" features many of his best tunes.

Michele Monte has been a well-known and loved figure on the LI scene for many years. Primarily upbeat, she strums like she means it while cooing seductive melodies with words of anger, regret, or triumph. This reviewer can never resist adding a bottom harmony to the chorus of "Knight In Shining Armor," and other tunes like "Circles" and "Orange Soda" are indeed effervescent delights. Michele's "Whole Latte Luv" presents her in a live setting, while her latest CD "Orange Soda" sports a very modern pop-music production that, in a more perfect world, would blow all the current pseudo-divas right off the radio dial. Michele's warm personality lit up the room, and the audience swarmed to buy her discs.


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Ready in 10
by Shaun O'Brien

Ready in 10 took the stage at the Muchaba Lounge on Monday,
May 9th ready to prove that they're not just another cover band.

The band who doubles as the cover band Peat Moss and the Fertilizers rocked a 50 minute set of original tunes, showcasing that they're just as talented playing their own songs as they are other bands. Fueled by the vocals of Sal Nastasi, Ready in 10 brought energy and personality to each song they played. Ready in 10's set was a mix of rock, pop, and blues. They showed they could rock out with the big boys, yet Nastasi showed his softer side on an acoustic number called "Real", in which his band mates(Marc Viola-Guitar; Joe Milano-Bass, Jim Milano-drums) sat back and let Sal have the spotlight.

There's evidence that this is a band who rehearses until they're perfect. Nastasi and Viola harmonize beautifully; the most prominent on a song called "Green Eyed Girl. Viola's guitar playing was brilliant. His stage presence represented that of a 20 year veteran. Not to be outdone, the Milano brothers kept the rhythm in tact all night long.ÊJoe's bass playing was spotless; and his little dances on stage keeps the crowd amused. His twin brother Jim didn't miss a beat on drums, keeping the band in sync all night long.

The band ended the night throwing in one of their many covers; a perfect rendition of Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike" featuring both solo vocal performances by Nastasi and Viola. They almost made you think you really were listening to Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder.

The set was recorded as a live CD. It can be heard at their CD release party, on June 11th, at the Muchaba Lounge.

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Dark New Day
by Shaun O'Brien

Mulcahys Music Pub in Wantagh NY is usually known for hosting cover bands who allow patrons to dance the night away. On Sunday, May 15, a different atmosphere loomed. Hard rock acts Chevelle and Dark New Day were on the bill for the night.

Dark New Day hit the stage just after 8pm. While the name of the band was mostly unrecognizable, their sound was soon defined. From the opening notes of the first song; "Taking me Alive" you knew this band was here to tear up the stage. And that they did. Song after song, the five childhood friends poured their hearts into each lyric, note and moment; savoring their stage time.

Dark New Day is a relatively new band on the hard rock scene, but it's members possess a uniqueness unlike most others. For starters; they're childhood friends, who all grew up together in the Southeastern part of the country. Their close bond shows as the five guys(Brett Hestla-vocals, Clint Lowery-guitar, Troy McLawhorn-guitar, Corey Lowery-bass, Will Hunt-drums) are unbelievably tight. They also all boast great rock backgrounds. Hestla was the lead singer of Vergo Merlos, as well as becoming Creed's second bassist. Clint Lowery is best known from Sevendust and McLawhorn is formerly of Doubledrive.

Dark New Day's biggest strength may be in their rhythm section. Corey Lowery's deep bass lines set the tone for the band. Will Hunt is in his own world behind the drum kit; as shown on the band's first single "Brother". Hunt showed concentration and cockiness as he tossed his sticks up and re-claiming them; never missing a beat.

dark new day was definitely the best band to help set the tone for a night of hard rock.

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