LOCAL
“WE’RE FLYING THE FLAG FOR TRADITIONAL HEAVY METAL.”
BEAT
{BY ZACH BRENDZA}
From the opening notes of “Species,” the first single of Balloon Ride Fantasy’s new self-titled full-length, the band makes something very clear — the song could only be theirs. The six-piece “fantasy rock” band sounds like something out of a sci-fi thriller — think Daft Punk meets Swimming With Dolphins, with spacey vocal harmonies. “I can’t be [generic]. I’ll have to add shit until it’s not,” explains singer/guitarist Chris Olszewski. “Even if it’s not as good. I don’t care. I wanna be different.” It’s that need to stand out that drove the creation of the band’s LP, which will officially be released on April 7 — the band will play its release show a little early, on Saturday. BRF started in 2009 as a Postal Service-like collaboration between Olszewski and guitarist Phil Conley, both of whom had been members of prog-rock band Federali. Conley would send music to Olszewski, who would add lyrics. After releasing Monocle City in 2011, the two solidified a larger lineup, and in 2013 started working on Balloon Ride Fantasy. Even without knowing the band’s distinct sound, the name will likely stand out. Years ago, during a post-Federali practice hangout at Dee’s Cafe, Conley joked that they should start a side project called Balloon Ride Fantasy. Others at the bar thought it was stupid, but Olszewski liked it. Immediately, he knew what he wanted the band to sound like: something from the ‘80s, something that could have come out of the movie Legend. The band may have started as a joke, but Olszewski took the making of this record seriously. Everything on the forthcoming LP, apart from the live drums, was recorded in Olszewski’s bedroom in Sharpsburg. Taking a meticulous approach, he re-recorded the guitar and bass parts multiple times, and even mixed the record himself which, in this case, was a particularly daunting task: to get the sound wanted, he created 70 to 100 tracks on each song. “[I’m] not a professional by any means, but I can pull it off … I’ve been doing it for awhile,” adding with a modest chuckle, “I’m alright.” INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BALLOON RIDE FANTASY with WICKED CHIEF. 9 p.m., Sat., March 28. Pittsburgh Winery, 2815 Penn Ave., Strip District. $12. 412-566-1000 or www.pittsburghwinery.com
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Balloon Ride Fantasy {PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN PELUSO}
FLOAT ON
LADY BEAST MODE {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}
{BY SHAWN COOKE}
T
HE MEMBERS of Lady Beast will
be the first to agree that there’s nothing wrong with reinventing the heavy-metal wheel. It’s just not for them. Forget about anything after 1988 — they’re unapologetically committed to reviving the golden age of heavy metal. In their world, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motörhead might as well be The Beatles, The Stones and Led Zeppelin. “We’re flying the flag for traditional heavy metal,” says drummer Adam Ramage. The flag flies again this Saturday, when Lady Beast plays a record-release show at Cattivo for its second LP, Lady Beast II. It’s a follow-up to 2012’s self-titled debut, but it’s also the recording debut of Lady Beast’s current lineup. At a bar in Bloomfield, the members of Lady Beast behave like a pack of siblings, occasionally talking over one another. It’s endearingly apparent that they’re of the same mind about heavy metal and the music industry at large, as well as playing music simply out of passion,
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
Playing their Cards: Lady Beast
with no financial strings attached. Vocalist Deborah Levine acts as the band’s matriarch, reining in the conversation when it starts to rehash the same topics. Whenever Ramage — her boyfriend, who’s already had a couple drinks — takes the imaginary mic to talk about the band’s disdain for working with concert promoters and record labels, Levine laughs, playfully pushes him and says, “OK, next question.”
LADY BEAST
WITH RADIUM GIRLS AND CRUCES
10 p.m. Sat., March 28. Cattivo, 146 44th St., Lawrenceville. $8. 412-687-2157 or www.cattivopgh.com
Considering this tight-knit family dynamic, it might seem difficult for Lady Beast to overcome losing a member. But that’s what will happen after the release show. Kinnett, the band’s lead guitarist, will play his final Lady Beast gig this Saturday. Sometimes personal responsibilities have
to take precedence over the music, and Kinnett says that, for now, his own family had to come before his band family. But Levine makes clear that the break-up can hardly be called a “break-up,” since “there was no bad blood, [and] it was very mature and thought-out.” Despite the impending change, they wanted to maintain the consistency and cohesion to properly roll out Lady Beast II. “It was important for all of us that we completed the album and, more importantly, played the record-release show with this lineup before the transition [happened],” Kinnett said. Kinnett’s exit doesn’t mean the band will have to take time to break in a new guitarist. Stephen Lauck, the band’s original lead guitarist, will return to take his place. Lauck moved to California just before the debut of the first album. Levine and company call it a stroke of luck that another like-minded bandmate moved back into the area right after Kinnett announced his departure. That first album was recorded during CONTINUES ON PG. 18