First Posted: 3/11/2013
Respect is something that has gotten local rockers, Silhouette Lies, recognition, a strong fanbase, and a good lineup of shows. However, it is not something that has happened overnight. Since 2010, the Scranton musicians have been giving their all to the local music scene in order to make a name for themselves.
The band consists of lead vocalist Nick Van Wagenen, guitarist Raf Pimentel, guitarist Eric Manley, drummer Dave Frable, and bassist Nick Savinelli. Since forming, the group has been around long enough to get their foot in the door; a great strategy and a lot of hard work has earned the band a steady spot in many local music venues and bars.
“It started off by us going to shows first, rather than walking in and saying, ‘Hey I’ve never been here, let me play a show.’ We try to establish rapport with the owners and make new friends with bands,” Pimentel said.
A wide array of musical influences, including ’80’s power metal, classic rock, rap, and punk, gives the band a sound that is almost unclassifiable. That alone makes them stand out from others and awards them some interesting gigs with bands in genres that range from indie to metal.
“We have a strange thing where because it’s tough to pinpoint what our genre is. When we play shows a lot of times, we’re either the heaviest band or the lightest band,” Pimentel noted.
Fitting in isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, though, at least not in the Northeast Pa. music scene. Pimentel talked about how sometimes feeling a bit out of place is normal for bands, especially ones that are new to the scene.
“It’s all about respect. You might have your opinions on someone’s music, but just know that at one time you were that awkward kid on stage making dumb jokes and playing an out-of-tune guitar. That’s still me to this day. So in that respect, I think we fit in.”
The band took a hiatus for a few months with the goal of expanding their set list to two hours or more, making them available to play longer shows if ever needed.
Their third show back from their long winter break will be an all-ages show titled “The Ides of March” at The wVintage Theater (326 Spruce St., Scranton), where they will be debuting a new song or two that has never been heard by public ears before.
The Ides of March show will include local bands A Fire with Friends, The Soviet, and Team! (formerly known as Feds), as well as Instead of Sleeping, a group from the Pittsburgh area.
Being good friends with many of the bands playing the show as well as the owners of The Vintage, Silhouette Lies keeps a feeling of unity within the local music scene.
“I think there’s an awesome sense of community between bands themselves,” Pimentel commented.
“It is an uphill battle a lot of the time, but I think we’re all trying our best to bring attention back to local music in Scranton.
