Who said that there is nothing good on the radio anymore? All you have to do is tune into the static.
New Jersey band Static Radio will bring its multi-influenced hardcore punk sound to Cafe Metropolis on Saturday, Feb. 16 with Young Hearts and a familiar face to the area, Scranton’s own The Menzingers.
Currently on Chunksaah Records, a label owned by members of fellow New Jersey band The Bouncing Souls, Static Radio’s drummer Chris Scanlan, guitarist Michael San Giovanni, bassist Victor Castello and vocalist Michael Santostefano are very thankful for the support they have received from The Bouncing Souls and believe their connection to the legendary band has helped them gain many fans.
“They (The Bouncing Souls) have done so much for us, and yes I think it definitely has helped,” said Castello. “More specifically, we recently played with the Souls and the Loved Ones for one of their ‘Home for the Holidays’ shows, and we’ve been hearing from a lot of new people that saw us at that show. So I’d say we’re making some new friends because of them for sure.”
Static Radio is starting a three-day weekend tour with Young Hearts and the Menzingers in Brooklyn on Feb. 15 and is excited to get the tour started and also play at Cafe Metropolis on the second day of the tour.
“Yeah, we’re doing the three days with the Menzingers and Young Hearts; we’re pretty excited for that,” said Castello. “They’re both awesome bands. Basically, we were just talking to Young Hearts about doing a weekend, and I think they e-mailed the Menzingers for help booking a show, and they hopped on board for the weekend, too.”
After the weekend tour, Static Radio has no plans to take it easy. The band plans on recording a new album and starting a seemingly non-stop touring schedule.
“As of right now, besides the weekend tour with the Menzingers and Young Hearts, we’re going to record our full-length record at the Machine Shop in Weehawken, (N.J.),” said Castello. “Once that’s out, we’re planning on touring for the better part of the year, including full U.S., Canada and Europe. Basically, if you live somewhere on Earth, chances are we’ll see you soon.”
In the age of digital downloading, a non-stop tour schedule is becoming a necessity for bands. Static Radio believes that digitally stealing entire albums from small bands that are struggling keeps those bands doing just that: struggling.
“It’s very discouraging to all small bands and all labels to know that it’s so easy to just steal entire albums,” said Castello. “We’re all guilty of it. At the same time, it’s hard for a band like Metallica to put forth a good argument against it when they’re already rich from their music. A band like us though, and a label like ours, Black Numbers and Chunksaah, really loses a lot when so many people just help themselves to the work that we have to sacrifice so much for, much more then you would think.”
With the new record, Static Radio hopes to redefine its sound and bring new influences into the mix.
“We’ve been compared to Kid Dynamite a lot, and I guess our 7-inch does compare to their stuff pretty well,” said Castello. “However, the new stuff we’re writing right now and the stuff that’s going to be on our new record coming out this summer is going to be much different also. Basically if I had to describe it, I’d probably use the all-encompassing ‘melodic hardcore punk.’ We have a lot of influences, as you’ll see when our new record comes out, anything from The Clash to Every Time I Die.”
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Go:
Who: Static Radio with The Menzingers, Young Hearts, Three Man Cannon
Where: Cafe Metropolis, 94 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre
When: Sat., Feb. 16, doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m.
Admission: $8, all ages