Tag: Steel Stacks

A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call, Music

Aardvarks to celebrate 20th anniversary on home turf with Musikfest Cafe performance

Chalk it up to musicianship, perseverance, or simply being able to give audiences what they want to hear as reasons for The Aardvarks musical longevity, but one thing’s for sure: The band has defied the odds over the last 20 years and cemented themselves as one of the Lehigh Valley’s premier and longest running rock bands. 

After years of performing together in and around the Valley in The Armadillos, bandmates Michael Rauscher (vocalist/guitarist) and Rod Walls (vocalist/keyboardist) founded The Aardvarks in 2004. The band would quickly evolve with the arrival of vocalist/guitarist Jason Morgan and vocalist/bassist Jon Novak in 2006, and later, when vocalist/drummer Ted Donatelli joined, six years later. 

The current line-up of The Aardvarks has been together for more than a dozen years; constantly updating their song catalog with an eclectic and energetic blend of rock and pop from the 1970s through the 2000s. At any given show you’re just as likely to hear the band’s spin on songs from Earth, Wind and Fire and Pink Floyd as you are to hear covers and medleys from artists like The Bee Gees, Rick Springfield and Blink 182. 

On Saturday, The Aardvarks will begin their new season and celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band along with another familiar Lehigh Valley group, The Honey Buzzards, when they perform at the Musikfest Café in Bethlehem. 

I recently spoke with Rauscher and Donatelli about the show, the band’s milestone anniversary and more in this new interview. 

What can fans expect from the band’s upcoming performance at Musikfest Café?

Michael Rauscher: The guys and I have been working hard on learning new material over our winter break, and I think our fans will be pleased. We’re also bringing up a surprise guest to dive into our old material. It’ll be a hoot!

Read the rest of my Morning Call interview with The Aardvarks by clicking here!

A Conversation With, Entertainment, Interview, Morning Call, Music

SteelStacks concert preview: Gin Blossoms guitarist Jesse Valenzuela talks about the band’s start, the hits, and what’s next
Photo: Shervin Lainez

American alt-rock band Gin Blossoms first broke into the mainstream with their infectious 1992 album, New Miserable Experience. Songs from that album, which eventually went on to sell four million copies, included the jangle-pop and radio friendly “Hey Jealousy,” “Until I Fall Away,” “Found Out About You,” and “Allison Road.” These cemented the band as one of the early 90s best-selling acts.

The band abruptly broke up in 1997 only to reform five years later and have continued to record and perform as many as 120 shows a year. Their 2010 release No Chocolate Cake shot up to #1 on Amazon and reached #14 on the Billboard Indie Chart. The band’s 2018 follow-up Mixed Reality, is reminiscent of the group’s earlier days. Vocalist Robin Wilson called it a companion to New Miserable Experience and an album the band would’ve wanted to make in 1990.

Fans of the Gin Blossoms — featuring Wilson, Jesse Valenzuela (vocals and guitar), Scott Johnson (guitar), Scott Hessel (drums), and Bill Leen (bass) — can relive the magic of the 90s when the group performs at SteelStacks’ Musikfest Café at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9.

I spoke with Gin Blossoms guitarist Jesse Valenzuela about the band’s Bethlehem show and more in this exclusive new interview.

James Wood for The Morning Call: What can fans expect from the Gin Blossoms upcoming performance in Bethlehem?

Jesse Valenzuela: We may have had a lot of time off and not touring as much as we used to but fans can expect to hear every song they want to hear. All of our hits will be represented. Then we’ll play some of the other material from our thirty-five years together. There’s a lot to choose from. It’s going to be a great time.

How did the band get started?

It wasn’t something that happened overnight. It took some starts and stops before we actually became a band. We all had grown up in the same college town working in different bands. We all knew about each other and eventually just started playing together. 

Read the rest of my

Interview with Jesse Valenzuela by Clicking Here.