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Good vibes emanate at Painesville Party in the Park

Two stages, 25 musical acts, 45 food vendors, more than 100 artists and non-profit organizations, and thousands of visitors at Painesville Party in the Park made the event the highlight of the year for the quiet lakeside town in Northeast Ohio. With 600 percent growth over ten years, the festival is now Ohio’s largest free music festival and is speculated to be the largest in the Midwest.

The festival’s music format was introduced in 2001, but Party in the Park has experienced the most growth in the last three years as the planning committee began scouting a mix of high-profile local acts and inviting a few national acts onto the bill.

Event sponsor and co-coordinator Gabe Cicconetti said the festival has grown so much that in the future the planning committee may have to consider moving it from the central location in Painesville City’s downtown square as it continues to expand. However, no such plans are in effect yet.

“It was more than we could have anticipated in 2009 to 2010. It was a tremendous jump,” said Cicconetti, who continued to explain that in the last two years the event's growth, which is gauged by beer sales and vendor feedback, increased 35 percent.

More than 130 musical acts submitted a bid to play the event this year. All but four out of the 25 acts selected to play the event this year were original artists, according to Cicconetti. Notable performers from Northeast Ohio included Winslow, Zach & The Bright Lights, Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money, Oldboy, Shaun Easton Band and Grateful Dead tribute band Sugar Magnolia.

“This year's bands were incredible. They all got you on your feet and put a smile in your heart,” said Stephanie Flach, Painesville resident. “It's so nice to have a music festival in your backyard.”

Among the national acts who returned were The Ragbirds of Michigan. The fan favorite from last year held the title, according to Flach. A throng of dancing concert-goers jammed during the band's hour-and-a-half set.

Reggae-rock band Babylon Saints made the near-3,000-mile trek from Los Angeles to perform. Lead vocalist Matt Gerovac, a Cleveland native, said the group is interested in making it an annual tour stop.

“People are great here. They really support live music. They really get excited and there’s so much energy when you're on stage playing,” said Tyler “Sledge” Drake, Babylon Saints bassist.

Carlos Jones & The PLUS Band with The Sweets closed the festival on Sunday night, leaving the crowd pleading for “one more song.”

Cicconetti said the event organizers wanted to “do something different to put Painesville on the map.” The numbers are proof that the east-side-Cleveland suburb is a pushpin on families’ and festival-goers’ map. More than 3,800 people responded with an “Attending” to the event’s Facebook invitation, which was sent out to more than 18,000 people.

“When you look out and see thousands and thousands of people having a good time in your hometown that’s the motivation,” Cicconetti said of The Painesville Community Improvement Corporation’s dedication to putting on the free event.

Photos of the event are featured on The Rhythm Report’s Facebook page.


Written by Priscilla Tasker

The Floorwalkers' DIY approach spurs grassroots growth

The Floorwalkers - The Natural Road
www.thefloorwalkers.com

The do-it-yourself mentality born out of free-access, online communication channels and increasingly cost-efficient recording software has shaken the music industry and redefined the landscape of opportunity for bands trying to make a break. Arcade Fire is the mainstream exemplar of the phenomena that is motivating bands across nations to record their albums, market their music and book tours without the backing of the traditional record label. 

The Floorwalkers of Columbus is becoming Ohio’s own DIY music success story. The unsigned six-piece ensemble released two records, The Floorwalkers EP and The Natural Road, on its own in the last five years and is harvesting a strong grassroots following across state lines.

“When you do the grassroots on your own, you kind of learn the ropes quicker. There’s certain people you end up meeting who you wouldn’t have met if you had a booking agent or manager,” Jonathon Vernon, lead vocalist, said.

The band has forged supporting relationships with bands and management teams from Nashville to Denver and recently had the opportunity to further expand its network of industry professionals at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The Floorwalkers was one of more than 1,300 bands that played a showcase during the music festival, one of the largest in the U.S.

“We learned that we’ve made some good decisions and met some of the right people,” Vernon said. “For having one showcase, we benefited quite a bit."

As part of the "We Are Columbus Ohio" music showcase, the band played to a sold-out room at The Treehouse Bar on E. 6th Street in Austin, but it held less than 100 people. It was a nerve-wracking experience for the group because there were A&R representatives who initially couldn’t get into the show, according to bassist Benjamin Meinhold and guitarist Kerry Henderson.

“It was so weird because we were playing in a venue that had an upstairs, second level. It had a fire code, and they didn’t let in anymore – not joking – than 75 people, but it made us look great because we had a line out the door,” Vernon said.

The band had to ask a few friends if they wouldn’t mind leaving to let the guys from the record label come in.

“We were down there trying to do what everyone else was trying to do. Get ourselves in front of people who can help us out,” Henderson said.

Fans help fund band's SXSW transportation

The Floorwalkers have a loyal fan base, which proved its dedication by helping the band make it to SXSW. Prior to the event, the group launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $10,000 for a tour van. On March 7, with the help of 127 backers, they were able to achieve more than the goal, garnering $11,107 for the investment. The band bought the van the day they hit the road for SXSW, Meinhold said.

“We have very loyal friends and family that support us. It was pretty amazing,” Vernon said. “It’s definitely a very gratifying feeling that if you do something people like, they’ll give you money for it.” 

The Floorwalkers adhere to no specific musical style. Their sound incorporates rock ‘n’ roll, soul, pop and even ragtime into an amalgamation of feel-good vibes. 

“The fact that we don’t cater to one style of music kind of keeps things interesting,” Vernon said.

The musicians’ body-rocking compositions are influenced by a multitude of artists, and their ability to seamlessly mesh their diverse influences comes from the relationships several bandmates built with one another over a lifetime, according to Vernon, who described the group as family, saying, “That comes off best on stage.”

Songwriting for the band is a collaborative effort. After three years of writing and recording, the band released its second record, The Natural Road, on iTunes in November 2010. They started with 60 songs and narrowed their selections down to create the 14-song album.

“It’s like picking which children you want on your team, you know,” Henderson said. “That’s not easy to do because we love a lot of these songs so much that it’s kind of difficult to put one on the side burner for a while.”

Band maps out tour, 'natural road' to success

Now that the band is well into the first year of the release’s debut, it has turned its focus to the business of promoting and touring. Although the group has achieved a moderate level of success pursuing DIY opportunities, The Floorwalkers are seeking management and booking agents, according to Vernon.

“Getting someone who knows how to book shows efficiently and how to route a tour – that stuff is important,” Vernon said.

The band plans to launch a full-fledge tour in August, making a “southwest curl” through Tennessee, heading out to Texas, up to Denver and back around to Ohio. There are no plans for the group to relocate from the Buckeye State to another music hub, but the bandmates are in consensus that they want to play nationwide as often as possible. 

“Our goals are pretty high,” Vernon said. “We’d love to have five records under our belt one day. We’d love to have some awesome music videos, some awesome merchandise. We really want to do the cool rock and roll American dream thing.”

The band is taking necessary steps toward those goals and recently released its first music video for the song “Three Wishes,” track one on The Natural Road, which fans can watch on YouTube. 

“If you’re a fan of ours, participate a lot and tell everyone you know because for us this is it,” Henderson said.

Fans can follow The Floorwalkers on the traditional social media channels – Facebook, Twitter – as well as the band’s website, www.thefloorwalkers.com.

Written by Priscilla Tasker

Music video: The Floorwalkers – "Three Wishes"
© 2010 In Room One Productions, LLC
Video by Kertis Creative and Periscope Web Video

Top-charted Vitium talks about recording new EP

Opening acts are often subject to playing for empty rooms and unenthused crowds, but it takes a dedicated, unique performer to put on a show even when no one is watching. Vitium proved that its band is composed of such artists who are willing to give it all whether they’re playing for a small crowd or a packed house. 

The band opened for The Floorwalkers on Friday, July 8, at The Beachland Ballroom. The audience hadn’t reached capacity nor the energy level of excited concertgoers yet. Nevertheless, Vitium played a lively set, demonstrating musical versatility as the six musicians blended tight R&B and rock instrumentals with hip hop and pop vocals.

The dynamic ensemble is becoming a Beachland staple, performing on a near monthly basis at the venue. In an interview, guitarist Jesse Hernandez said the group is in writing and recording sessions for its sophomore album, an EP targeted for an August 2011 release.

“I think this album is going to have more of a cohesive sound than our last one because we’ve all been settled in with each other for a bit, and I feel that we’ve got a more musically defined style,” Hernandez said.

Vitium released its debut album, Oxygen Planet, with Goon Trax, a Japanese label affiliated with Media Factory, in 2009. The 11-track record was recorded at Cleveland-based Ante Up Audio with the help of multi-platinum, award-winning artist Michael Seifert.

The band received accolades with its release in Japan as the re:plus-produced remix of “Never Looking Back” hit No. 3 on the Japanese iTunes hip hop charts. According to Vitium’s website, the group was also featured on multiple compilation records that have all reached No. 1 on the nation’s iTunes charts in that musical genre. Locally, songs from the album received airplay on Q104, Radio 92.3 and widely heard college stations. 

Band members said the songs being recorded on the new album were primarily written for live shows. 

“They’re songs that we’ve been performing live for a while, but we haven’t had the time to really sit down and record them,” said Jerry (JL) Lang, keyboardist.

Vocalist Nicholas Wonder (Smalc) said the lyrical content flows along the same socially conscious themes that manifested on Oxygen Planet.

“At the same time, we’ve also done some fun songs,” Wonder said. “It’s still very lyrical in terms of witty wordplay. Even if it’s just a fun song, I want it to at least have something involved that you’ll go, ‘Oh, that’s different.’”

The Rhythm Report will continue tracking Vitium’s progress in the local and global music scenes. Fans can follow the band on various social media sites including Facebook and Twitter for more information on the upcoming album and future show dates.


Written by Priscilla Tasker

Funk, Hip Hop, Rock 'n' Blues to meld at Beachland Ballroom July 8

The stage at the Beachland Ballroom is set to host three talented acts of local, regional and even international acclaim Friday, July 8. Starting at 9 p.m., the soulful hip hop quintet Vitium will open the evening with vocalist Nicholas Smalc’s spoken-word proclamations backed up by leading lady Tasha Brandt and the band’s rock and R&B-infused instrumentation.

Vitium is forging its existence in the global music scene with Goon Trax, a japanese record label affiliated with entertainment giant Media Factory. The Cleveland-based group launched its first full-length album, Oxygen Planet, overseas on the Goon Trax label in 2009, achieving top recognition on Japan’s iTunes hip hop charts.

Vitium is opening for modern blues-rock outfit The Floorwalkers from Columbus, Ohio. The Floorwalkers have garnered a healthy following as it's toured throughout the eastern United States. The creation of the band’s distinctive, funky sound began with the pairing of guitarist Kerry Henderson and bassist Ben Meinhold; it flourished with the addition of vocalist Jonathon Vernon and three additional instrumentalists, Theo Perry (lead guitar), Tom Lasky (drums) and Todd Hamric (piano/organ). Since its inception, the unsigned band has released two albums, The Floorwalkers EP and The Natural Road.

The folk-artist-turned-rocker Tom Evanchuck is also featured on the bill. Evanchuck recently played the Ballroom with international act Scars on 45 for the 107.3 Listener Appreciation Show. He will be playing a full-band electric set.

Doors for this show open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.beachlandballroom.com.

Written by Priscilla Tasker