North Jersey Notes: Updates

I just got an email from my bud and guitar God, Dan Lorenzo from The Cursed, and Dan told me that there was a live video of his former legendary North Jersey band Non-Fiction recently posted on MySpace and YouTube. The video is for the song “The My Way” and was filmed in 1992 at the Foundations Forum in Los Angeles. At the time, Non- Fiction had just released their first CD, The Preface. You have to see this video! It will bring back memories for some of you! Log onto myspace.com/nonfictionnj.

Speaking of guitar players, Steve Bello recently emailed me letting me know that he finally released his latest Steve Bello Band CD, About To Explode, which features new members CJ on drums and Ko on bass. You can purchase this sonic CD on Steve’s website, belloband.com, or myspace.com/stevebello. You won’t regret it! This is the best stuff I’ve heard from Steve yet!.

A cool event is being put together by Create-A- Vibe Entertainment, an independent concert promotion company, whom some of us know as the booking agent for such places like Mexicali Blues in Teaneck, NJ. They recently announced that they will be putting together their first annual music festival called The Mighty High slated for Saturday, Aug.9 at Vasa Park in Hackettstown, NJ. Headlining this inaugural festival will be the Grateful Dead tribute band, Dark Star Orchestra. Joining them on the bill will be New Riders Of The Purple Sage and The Zen Tricksters, and to add some significance to the date of this event (8/9), it will be the anniversary of the death of Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead. Tickets for the festival are on sale now for $30 in advance and $45 on the day of the show! It’s an all-ages event and there will be a limited number of VIP tickets available priced at $60. This ticket will give you access to VIP parking, the festival, and to a special after show party on the grounds including The Mighty High Happy Hour and an indoor show with The Zen Tricksters. For tickets and more information on the event, you can call 201-336-2320 or by simply logging onto themightyhigh.com.

I got some anonymous email saying that there was some top secret project going between Ed from Ten Feet From Murder and the boys from Split Vision. I swear that I have no idea what it is, but once someone from either of those camps fills me in, I’ll let you know! For now, check out myspace.com/tenfeetfrommurder and myspace.com/splitvisionband.

And finally, it looks like it will be yet another busy week for me and my cohorts in Hostel Inc. as the summer keeps rolling along. This Friday night, Aug. 1, we’ll be playing with the Bullet Boys at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. On Saturday, Aug. 2 we’ll be playing at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ, as part of their Live And Local concert series which is also being promoted by Gotham Rocks. Also on the bill for this show are Diablo Royale and Shadows Lie from NYC. And the big show next Wednesday night, Aug. 6, we’ll be opening for ‘80s heroes Dokken over at Dexter’s in Riverdale, NJ. You can get your last minute tickets by logging onto myspace.com/hostelinc and by clicking on the big Dokken/Hostel Inc. ticket.

Oh, and speaking of myself, since I am so self- indulged, I need to retract my review of the new Motley Crue CD, Saints Of Los Angeles, that I did for The Aquarian recently. After a couple of weeks of listening to it, the CD grew on my like a fungus, and now I think it might be the best Crue CD since Dr. Feelgood. I especially can’t get that song “Down At The Whiskey” out of my freakin’ head. So, to Motley Crue and the rest of my fellow Crueheads, I am so sorry that I doubted you and I hang my head in shame! The new Crue CD totally rocks!

That’s enough self-promoting from me for now! If your band is from North Jersey and you want some exposure, send your demos and press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140 Little Falls, NJ 07424. No cover bands, please!

Just remember… We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!