“The Van Duzer-Beach Street district in Stapleton is home to a thriving and growing community of more than a thousand artists. Recognized as the counter-cultural center of Staten Island, it has become a notable hub for live music and an incubator for new bands and innovative projects. The neighborhood attracts visual and performance artists, photographers, film makers, literati, and everything in between.”

(via VanDuzerDays site)

This Saturday marks the second-annual Van Duzer Days festival. A summer full of Saturday festivities including music, dancing, demonstrations, arts, crafts, food, and anything and everything creative that this curiously creative stretch of land has to offer.

The complete summer schedule is as follows:

The Delay are a local Indie-Rock band that have released five EPs, a remastered Best-Of, and are currently working on a new LP. Prolific as they are, this is one band that has the chops to pull it off.

With a style constantly in-flux, there’s something for everybody to like about The Delay.

Members include John Biscuti (guitar), Mike Parascandola (drums), Nick Noto (vocals, guitar), Dave Stagno (bass), and A.J. Parascandola (guitar).

On The Rough Draft EP, the band are in their most-accessible form. The crunchy guitars at their most streamlined. Melodies akin the mid-2000’s Bloc Party fare.

On The Loose Keys EP, you can hear the band at their rawest. They come off like the local garage band that draws a crowd; easy to get into yet surprisingly complex in song structure.

On The Maroose EP, the band is at their most-creative thus far; working to blend their raw sound with sharper melodies than before. While not AS accessible as The Rough Draft EP, it serves as a perfect sampler to guage your willingness to dig deeper into their catalog.

On The Loose Ends EP, the band breaks into a tinge of Dance-Rock territory, ala local band Paragraph, with some funky guitar work meshing with the drum beats like some kind-of musical soft-serve for your ears.

Finally, The Bloom EP sets the tone for a more-acoustic affair. Showing the listener the range this band has come to possess, making the future prospects of the aforementioned LP that much more exciting.

Hearing all of these EPs or taking the fast track and downloading their Best-Of album, “Unpopular Culture” should give you a sense of how far this band has come in the past five years and how much expectation there should be surrounding their forthcoming LP.

All EPs can be downloaded for FREE at TheDelayMusic.com

Some bands fit into their niche in the musical world like a glove. Others make a hard-left and rebel against their perceived type. The Seconds land somewhere in that sweet middle spot.

To many different people, The Seconds could be many different things.

Some might hear the everyman musical daydreams of Bruce Springsteen, while others a tinge of Country, while still others might detect an 80’s Underground-Replacements-by-way-of-New-Wave vibe.

All of those people would be right.

On their upcoming debut full-length “Slip Away,” the title track itself is a prime example of this band’s ability to seamlessly adhere musical convergence with a continual flow of familiarity. Bringing you into their world expecting one thing and then twisting it just enough to satisfy you in ways similar bands wouldn’t bother to try, yet never overcooking any of their original formula.

The Seconds consist of local singer/songwriter The John on vocals and acoustic guitar, Joe Pecora on electric guitar, Joe Patches on drums and glockenspiel, and Mike McDonnell on Bass.

The extremely detailed and lush production was handled by Pecora at his own Red Room Studio on Forest ave. An on-the-rise production facility created by him and quickly rising in stature as other local acts such as the Wahoo Skiffle Crazies and Les Vinyl have recently had professional-grade albums produced, mixed, and mastered there, all by the same guy.

On their new release, no moment is wasted. Everyone gets their time to shine and the production captures all of it in just the right doses.

The Seconds are a band quickly rising to the top and you’d be wise to follow them in the coming weeks when their debut album is released for the masses to finally get a sharp first look at The Seconds.

For the past few months, local artists Brendan Coyle and Amanda Curtis have literally opened their home to the public once a month to present art showcases and bring awareness of the monthly art-walk they helped create.

“Second Saturdays” was created by the pair of fledgling local artists as a happening in it’s purest state. A reason, as it were, for tourists coming from off the ferry to stick around, just as much as it is also an excuse for native Islanders to get out and experience a multitude of artistic exposure in a manner not seen on Staten Island in a long while.

The day-long event, in it’s simplest explanation, consists of several local locales (listed below) playing host to a multitude of artists, painters, poets, musicians, and filmmakers showcasing their goods for the public eye and, in many cases, their interaction.

What started as a humble art display with few locations participating has grown in six short months into an event involving 19 different locations and dozens of presenters, curators, artists, etc.

Word is that NYCTV will even be on hand to film the festivities.

Any time someone from SI can get NYC press to take notice is a good time indeed.

June 9th Second Saturday Listings:

Doorway

Musical Acts: Artankers Convoy (Brooklyn, Social Registry),Aerosols (San Francisco), Ron Wax (The Liars, Mercy Rule, No Things)

The Laundromat Project

Against Da Grill

33Cent

mandymachine/ Mandy Morrison

Curator: Mandy Morrison

100 Stuyvesant Pl. 1G (next to entrance)

Installation by Irina Danilova of Project 59, Brooklyn

6-9PM

Atelier De Merz

According to their Myspace:

“Formed out of the boredom of St. John’s University, Burnt Youth’s sound is the creative genius of Tony, Chaps, Schnapps, and Parmo. Together they have created catchy songs that will both rock you and entertain you. From the witty songs of a beach side “get-a-way” to the melodic songs of revenge of past lovers, they offer a variety of musical styles to be embraced.”

A pretty accurate summation of their sound and attitude.

Burnt Youth are a band constantly in musical flux. In a good way. Always moving, creating, and using their imaginations.

A tactic that lesser bands would go crazy with and tread into Weird Al territory of silliness, Burnt Youth are fun, yet restrained. They revel in adding to a party atmosphere (see: “Beer Pong Battleship”) while at the same time having the musical chops to create catchy hook-driven Pop-Rock songs (see: “Girl Down The Hall”).

Others have taken notice too. The band has recently garnered airplay on 101.9 WRXP via DJ Rich Russo, who himself has interesting ties to the SI music scene.

Burnt Youth will be performing this Saturday night at Dock Street along with Last Minute, starting at 10pm, doors open at 9, admission is $10 (with a $25 Open Bar that gets you in for free). It will be a prime chance to see this band in action and get a real sense of how technically great they are at instrumentation while enjoying their intriguing and atmosphere-catalyzing lyrics.

Listen: Myspace.com/BurntYouth18

According to their website:

“Jersey Shows is a bookings service covering most of central New Jersey including some shows in Northern and Southern Jersey. We book and promote regular shows at the following venues: The Saint (Asbury Park, NJ), Chubbys (Red Bank, NJ), Cagneys (Parlin, NJ), The Court Tavern (New Brunswick, NJ), Station 36 @ Waretown Firehall (Waretown, NJ), Marlboro Rec Center (Marlboro, NJ), Yardley Community Centre (Yardley, PA)”

An exception to this mostly-Jersey creed is Dock Street.

This summer, the people at Jersey Shows will be showcasing some of Jersey’s finest bands at SI’s own Dock Street. A recent kick-off, of sorts, was their May 21st show that included:

Beyond All Reason, Forgetting Midnight, Unleash the Beast, Sanitarius, Everynightdrive, Bury My LIttle Sister, and Communication Corporation.

While nothing is specifically set for the rest of the summer, they have their dates in place: June 19th, August 13th, 27th, and a late -season show on on October 1st.

Check back with Dock Street in the coming weeks for updates and schedules on these exciting series of shows.

With their critically acclaimed debut album “Astro Coast” and a tide of praise as their backs, Florida natives Surfer Blood will soon be giving people in our neck of the woods (NYC) a prime chance to see them in action when they play the 2010 Siren festival in Coney Island on July 17th (which will be catered by Dock Street).

Their sound is, first and foremost, of surf (obvious), but their influences reveal much more then the initial labeling would imply.

The first thing that hits you, even before the surf rock, is the large amount of Brian Wilson/Phil Spektor-like wall-of-sound production. This is done to outstanding effect, as it aids in holding together the sum of the band’s parts.

Parts which also include highly-melodic vocals ringing through waves of equally-melodic guitars brushed with a tinge of subtle early-Weezer compressed-distortion.

Songs like “Floating Vibes” and “Twin Peaks” are excellent examples of how everything comes together en mass to create songs that are musical erector sets; all over the place when they start, yet building throughout to satisfying surf-pop perfection.

At an initial listen, things might come across as too-messy or even muddled in overwrought musical grandeur. But given a fair shake, Surfer Blood are clearly tapping into something greater that traditional surf music.

With experimental elements of breeding Steve Malkmus with Dick Dale, Surfer Blood have created a sound to be followed and expanded upon in future releases.

I look forward to when the tide brings them in again bearing new songs.

Some rappers have a certain vibe about them; A vibe that very few these days can pull-off: authenticity.

It’s something local Staten Island rapper Dave Noodlez has in spades and is the visible and lyrical fuel behind his craft.

One listen to his debut album “Live, Breath, Eat” and you can easily see how that aforementioned allure transcends his work. Tracks like “Not Like Him” and “Aim For Excellence” contain raw production yet with a 21st century flare that keeps his tracks open and accessible to old-school fans and new-school Kanye, Kid Cudi-style fans.

As WSIA DJ and host of The Emilio Sparks Experience Podcast, Emilio Sparks, points out, “Noodlez has such a positive energy that there’s no way to not be in a good mood when you listen to his music.” Sparks added, “His thoughtfulness is his strength; He’s a white kid from SI, and he’s not being fake about it. He brings in other local talent and keeps it very family.”

Family is an apt word to use, as Noodlez writes from a place of solitude within a family environment.

Lyrics like, “My smile when you’re down could light-up the room / I cook, I clean, where’s the pots and the broom?” show his unique brand of honest self-deprecation and humility while neither coming-off as too-jokey or too-lighthearted.

As for the “family” itself, that would consist of other local rappers such as Paul Marz and the SI collective The Higher Concept.

While Noodlez is close with all of his local family, he makes a wise move in remaining solo; as his stock is quickly rising and I wouldn’t be surprised if you start seeing more of Dave Noodlez in the next few months.

As the man himself states on his website, “When we get older we look at photos to reminisce of good times, recapture the moment. I’m blasting my only option, which is to enjoy every moment.”

So far he’s been doing just that.

Dave Noodlez on Myspace

Download “Live, Breath, Eat”

Photo by Mike Shane

Local Indie-Rock band The Rabbits have been working on a debut album for a good while now.

A “while” being years.

While I’m not attempting to hype the album up by juxtaposing it’s time-spend-prepping onto it, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eagerly anticipating it.

Why?

Because while lead singer/guitarist and principal songwriter Adam Ferretti will tell you that the band’s “Destruction EP” (released several years ago now) is utter garbage, the music itself suggests otherwise. When something that good is getting the brush-off from the band who promises better material, the curiosity level tends to peak.

“Out Of Our Heads” is a standout track in a band full of them, with its deliciously crunchy-yet-smooth guitar hook and clap-a-long chorus.

“Mechanical Animal” is another standout that would seem the end result of The Bends-era Radiohead thrown in bed with the pop sensibilities of early Beach Boys.

Live shows are a true spectacle with sporadic dancing of bassist Matt Wilson and shotgun drum hits of drummer Rory Merola to the feverishly fast keys of keyboardist Chris Taillie and the rabbit (sometimes lamb) outfit of Ferretti that he wears every show.

On May 7th, The Rabbits will be taking part in WNYW’s Battle Of The Boroughs.

This will surely prove to be a telling day as the band has a prime chance to make a splash on a state-wide scene.

With their chance to make waves in NYC fast approaching as well as a new album on the way (hopefully), The Rabbits are a definite band to watch in ‘10.

Listen @ Myspace.com/deadrabbitmusic

A rather mysterious figure on the SI music scene, a lone artist in that Machiavellian of senses; devoid of strong ties to the local “scene.” For the enigmatic Rahlo, to be above the scene is certainly better than being lumped into it.

Going more prominently by the name “The Rahlo Show,” he first caught my ear on a mix CD given to me back when I had a local music show on SI’s college station WSIA.

Accepting the fact that I’m currently breaking the laws of journalism by swiftly turning this into a story about me, just go with it for a moment.

When I first heard one of Rahlo’s songs, I felt that something special had just been played. That not only was this artist good, but he had an original style based in growling croons and melodic, guitar hooks.

Some would be game to argue that his music is an acquired taste; they would not be wrong.

But for those looking for passion in their music, not the watered-down Indie-blah sappy variety, but at the same time, nothing near 80’s metal bombastic, Rahlo finds that sweet spot between the extremes and hits it right between the eyes.

“Turn Around,” a song currently up for listening on his Myspace, showcases his talents well.

One second you can easily see him about to get too-grungy, but he doesn’t. A second later, the melody hits you, coupled with the thought of a lone man wielding only a guitar with zero percussion to fill-out his music; stripped-down yet filled out by his gruff, distinct voice.

All working towards his advantage of course.

If you’ve never heard of Rahlo before now, check him out here.