North Jersey Notes: Rory D’Lasnow

RORY D’LASNOW—Englewood, NJ

I first learned of Rory D’Lasnow back in September of last year from Resurge bassist, Roy Brunston, who was writing with Rory. I thought the songs he was writing were absolutely brilliant, and now that Rory has a bunch of shows under his belt, and a couple shows coming up this Tuesday, February 26 with Drake Bell, and on March 17 with Mike Tramp and John Corabi at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck, I felt it was time to feature Rory D’Lasnow in North Jersey Notes.

Rory D’Lasnow is a singer-songwriter from Englewood. From the first time his father brought out his guitar to comfort Rory as a baby, it was clear that a lifelong relationship with music was being created. Though he initially feared the sound of the instrument, Rory soon picked up his father’s right-handed guitar upside down and backwards and began to craft his songs. Raised on Lennon and McCartney, the Everly Brothers, Billy Joel, and Queen, Rory honed his skills playing talent competitions and showcases as a youngster. Despite never turning the guitar right side up, Rory began to cultivate a sound that would propel him on to playing such well-respected venues as Kenny’s Castaways and Pianos in NYC, Debonair Music Hall, and the Stanhope House, opening for American Idol winner, Lee DeWyze. In 2011, Rory released his first studio EP, When All Is Fading, a sincere and passionate debut that gracefully grapples with the universal themes of love and loss. The EP featured songs like “Never Be Mine,” “Shadow,” “Heroin,” “Swoon,” and “Almost Here.” Rory followed the EP up in 2015 with his second release, Acoustic, his most raw and evocative effort to date including songs like “61,” “By Your Hand,” “Life Itself,” and “Nobody Touch My Lady.”

Rory D’Lasnow is a pretty amazing songwriter and I hope to hear what he wrote with Roy Brunston from Resurge soon. Catch Rory D’Lasnow live this Tuesday night with Drake Bell or on March 17 with White Lion front man, Mike Tramp and former Motley Crue singer John Corabi at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck. For more info on Rory D’Lasnow, visit RoryDLasnow.com.

NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:

My brother and former BlackOcean bandmate, Bill Cavallo, drummer of the South Jersey thrash band, Faith Or Fear, recently let me listen to a few brand-new Faith Or Fear songs off of the band’s new EP. The songs are heavy, fast, and riff-tastic. Guitarist Chris Bombeke was brilliant on these tracks. The riffs were tasty! The song that really stood out for me was a song called “The Snake.” It had a great hook and was an all-around killer track. It also proved that Faith or Fear can be a hard rock band. To find out where to pick up the new Faith Or Fear EP, visit FaithOrFear.com…. My boy, Louie Drums—well, that’s what we call him—from the band Kore Rozzik recently posted some sad news on his Facebook page. It turns out Louie will not be performing at any upcoming Kore Rozzik shows for quite some time. Louie suffered a stroke a couple of weeks ago. I sent Louie a message to find out what happened, and he told me that he went to practice and for some reason, he just couldn’t play, resulting in his right side being weaker and slower than usual. He has been ordered by doctors to relax, causing Louie to take a break from drumming to recover. I want to wish my bud, Louie Drums, a speedy recovery, and I hope to see him on a stage again soon! For more on Kore Rozzik, visit KoreRozzik.com…. And finally, my band Rahway is finally heading back into the studio to work with Mike Orlando from Adrenaline Mob to record a 5-song EP tentatively titled Slumlords of NJ, which will feature songs like “Acetylene,” “Sugar,” “Stone,” and a cover of the Paul McCartney classic “Jet.” The EP will be released this summer. Catch Rahway live on Star Wars Day, May 4th, at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, with the mighty Skid Row closing. Then on May 16, Rahway will head to the Space at Westbury Theater in Westbury, NY to share the stage with KIX once again. For more info on my band Rahway, visit RahwayBand.com.

That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ  07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!

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

Tim Louie is the author of S**t Happens.

 NJN Concert Calendar:

2/21—Spitphyre/Cheap 52—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

2/22—Don Jamison/Unlocking The Truth/Cold-Blooded Capitol/Makes My Blood Dance—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

2/22—Vendetta Rose—The Chubby Pickle, Highlands, NJ

2/23—Remedy/Blud Red Roses/Shiwan Khan/Soldiers of Solace/See Plus—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

2/23—Don Jamieson/KK Reaper and the Carnies of Chaos—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ

2/23—Barren One—Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ

2/24—Crazy Town/Answer Infinity—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

2/26—Rory D’Lasnow/Drake Bell—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

2/27—BoundAlive/In Flames/All That Remains/All Hail The Yeti—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ

3/1—Stella Blue’s Band—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/1—Brand of Julez/Wildstreet—The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY

3/3—The Three Tremors/Psychoprism/Orbynot/Dark Beauty—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

3/7—Smile Empty Soul/September Mourning/Rise Among Rivals/Sister Salvation/Libricide—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

3/8—Empire Fallen/Deth Kaktus/Another Distraction/Paulus Hook—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/9—Tilted/Sister Salvation/Dokken—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ

3/13—Jackyl—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/15—Motochrist—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

3/15—JOHN 5/JARED JAMES NICHOLS—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/16—Vendetta Rose—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ

3/16—Infinitus Mortus/Arc’d Angel/Incognito Theory/Adder—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

3/16—The Fuzz CD Release Party/N.A.S.H./Foster and The Pranksters—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/17—Mike Tramp and John Corbi/Reality Suite/Rory D’Lasnow/Scotty Dunbar—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ

3/22—Mikell’s Plot/Steve Bello/Warrant—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ