Punk guitar oriented band featuring guitarist Kevin Borland
Weekends With Dan is about making you laugh about the not-so-funny aspects of modern-day life. Weekends With Dan is not about politically correctness. Drummer Jeff McManus (formerly of Pist.On) and bassist Jim Frint (formerly of Descending Angel) provide the rockin' rhythm section for the group. Kevin Borland (formerly of Cleverneck) blasts out the punk rock melodies from a stack of Marshalls while singer Dan Damage (also formerly of Cleverneck) belts out lyrics that tell of eating disorders, sexual harassment, venerial diseases. Weekends' single "Anna Rexia" tells the story of Anna lost at the shopping mall. Dan suggests she's "standing somewhere sideways and I just can't find her." The song is a heart-wrenching tale of true love and a sound diet that will have you cracking up for a solid 4 minutes straight. Weekends is based out of Arlington, Virginia. There, you can catch Kevin's acoustic live shows nearly every Wednesday night at Iota Bar and Grill on Wilson Boulevard. The band is not currently touring, as they are currently working on recording the radio versions of "Anna Rexia" and "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace" at Big Blue Meenie studios in New Jersey. Anna will be officially released sometime in March, 2005. A full length LP is expected to be released towards the end of the summer.
Source: http://www.guitarsite.com
----
Battle of the Bands offers a good mix of tunes
Battle of the Bands:
The Finals
A Student Center Committee Presentation.
Lobdell Court.
April 6, 9 p.m.
By Dan Dunn
Night Editor
Battle of the Bands was another success this year, boasting a large and enthusiastic crowd despite the lack of advertisement. This year was strongly oriented towards original compositions, with three bands fighting for the best original band and only two finalists for the best cover band.
The first band for the evening, Shifty, was original. They started playing shortly after nine to a relatively small and low-energy crowd. The first songs got only polite claps, but as the set progressed, the crowd warmed to them, with the final song receiving rousing applause and yells. The band's songs were mellow and bluesy without stretching into protracted jam sessions. The guitar riffs were great; a couple of the solos called to mind a more full version of the ringing instrumentals that made R.E.M. great.
The second band, Hidden Agenda, was also original. This band is made up of MIT students with fairly strong individual musical talent. I expect that each of them puts on a good show, but their songs were too trite. Their music in some ways reminded me of the Ident-a-Rock bands of the early '80s; it was like 45 minutes of Air Supply, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas, but not nearly as catchy.
Still, their set list could have worked with a different style. But they had a more fundamental flaw: They lacked a stage presence. The singers were rooted in place, singing as if from a book. The lyrics seemed to be simply words that were belted out in sync with the music. The drums were there to set the beat; the guitar and keyboard were to set the melodies, and the bass was to back them up. But these elements never link up into a band: they never come together to perform for the audience.
The third band was a cover band called Strawdogs; they had the fire that Hidden Agenda lacked. Band frontman Wes Williams '96 opened the set with the comment: "The last time we played some people got arrested. Please don't hurt anyone." It was a fair request, because the set list was a hard-rocking crowd pleaser with a strong Seattle tilt: Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Queensrÿche, Guns 'n' Roses, and a strong Metallica finish. Williams covered the songs well, but more importantly, he had an excellent stage presence that really got the crowd involved in the set. But the real star of the show was lead guitarist Kevin Borland '96, who handled the most intricate melodies with great skill.
The next band, the second and final cover band, was the big surprise of the evening. They called themselves Son BoriCuba. Trumpeter Fermin Garcia '97 described his band as an "Afro-cuban and Caribbean rhythm band." In the middle of the college/alternative music scene, you have to be a little shocked that a band with such a different style of music could succeed, but succeed they did. I only recognized one song, Santana's "Oye Como Va," but that didn't keep me from liking their sound.
This band relied on the performances of its lead singer and trumpeter. The singer was personable and energetic, and knew how to play to the large crowd on the floor and in the seats. Garcia not only played his pieces with precision and heart, but he doubled as an extra percussionist when not actually on the trumpet.
The thing that really made this band was their ability to make the crowd move. As you would expect, their fans were down in front of the stage cheering and dancing. But more importantly, people who had never heard them before could be seen toe-tapping and dancing around the room. These guys were clearly enjoying themselves, and they knew how to make the people in the crowd enjoy themselves as well. In the judges' collective opinion, this excitement was superior to Strawdogs set list, and they named Son BoriCuba the cover band winners.
The final band, Zed Bacchus, came on late, but were well worth the wait. They were very similar to Shifty, but clearly wrote and played at a higher level. Their music had stronger blues influence, and tended towards longer jams rather than songs. The lead singer, Eugene Chuang '96, had a mellow and engaging manner. His calls of "Oh, yeah!" brought the crowd to its feet over and over. And their talent was without question; halfway through the set, the lead guitarist and bassist simply exchanged guitars.
Unfortunately, the Campus Police and the Student Center Committee shut the event down in the middle of their set, at about 12:45 a.m. I would have loved to hear more, but I'll have to catch them at one of their performances at local venues, be they at the Middle East or the Tam. The judges agreed with me, and picked Zed Bacchus as the original winner.
Copyright 1995, The Tech. All rights reserved
This story was published on April 11, 1995
Volume 115, Number 17, Page 8
Source: http://www-tech.mit.edu/V115/N17/battle.17a.html
----
Weekends at Dans
Everyone at the bar stopped in their tracks and all eyes were faced at the stage when Weekends played their single "Anna Rexia" for the first time at a DC club. Everyone waited to hear the end of the story of Anna lost at the shopping mall in their amazing tale of true love and a sound diet!
Why this name?
Dan Damage and I played together in a New Jersey band called Cleverneck. When the band split up, Dan and I spent almost two years writing our best material ever. Since we lived several hundred miles away from eachother, most of the writing was done late-night over the phone, or in person, on the weekends. Hence, "Weekends With Dan."
Do you play live?
I'm doing a live accoustic set including some songs from Weekends at a club in Arlington, Virginia called "Iota Bar and Grill" on Clarendon Blvd. You can catch me there almost every Wednesday night at around 10:30 or so. When Weekends is done recording the radio version of Anna, we plan on playing together as a band in a series of live shows in the northeast.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
I think the internet mostly provides a new path to achieving the age-old goal of getting one's music out to as large of an audience as possible.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
It all depends on what the contract has to offer. Although the internet provides an incredible audience, major lables have the funding to bring music to an even larger audience, if they're willing to back you all the way.
Band History:
Dan and I came from the band Clerverneck in New Jersey. Our first show was on that fateful night when JFK Jr.'s airplane fell from the sky! We had a single entitled "Do Anything." Lately, we have recruited bassist Jim Frint (formerly of Descending Angel) and Jeff McManus (formerly of Pist.On) to make up our rhythm section. They will appear on the radio version of Anna, and on the upcoming LP, tentatively titled "12 Timeless Classics."
Your influences?
Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Frank Zappa, Social Distortion, even Skid Row!
Favorite spot?
Anywhere where I can string up a hammock between the palm trees!
Equipment used:
Ibanez all the way.
Source: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/weekendswithdan.htm
Weekends With Dan is about making you laugh about the not-so-funny aspects of modern-day life. Weekends With Dan is not about politically correctness. Drummer Jeff McManus (formerly of Pist.On) and bassist Jim Frint (formerly of Descending Angel) provide the rockin' rhythm section for the group. Kevin Borland (formerly of Cleverneck) blasts out the punk rock melodies from a stack of Marshalls while singer Dan Damage (also formerly of Cleverneck) belts out lyrics that tell of eating disorders, sexual harassment, venerial diseases. Weekends' single "Anna Rexia" tells the story of Anna lost at the shopping mall. Dan suggests she's "standing somewhere sideways and I just can't find her." The song is a heart-wrenching tale of true love and a sound diet that will have you cracking up for a solid 4 minutes straight. Weekends is based out of Arlington, Virginia. There, you can catch Kevin's acoustic live shows nearly every Wednesday night at Iota Bar and Grill on Wilson Boulevard. The band is not currently touring, as they are currently working on recording the radio versions of "Anna Rexia" and "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace" at Big Blue Meenie studios in New Jersey. Anna will be officially released sometime in March, 2005. A full length LP is expected to be released towards the end of the summer.
Source: http://www.guitarsite.com
----
Battle of the Bands offers a good mix of tunes
Battle of the Bands:
The Finals
A Student Center Committee Presentation.
Lobdell Court.
April 6, 9 p.m.
By Dan Dunn
Night Editor
Battle of the Bands was another success this year, boasting a large and enthusiastic crowd despite the lack of advertisement. This year was strongly oriented towards original compositions, with three bands fighting for the best original band and only two finalists for the best cover band.
The first band for the evening, Shifty, was original. They started playing shortly after nine to a relatively small and low-energy crowd. The first songs got only polite claps, but as the set progressed, the crowd warmed to them, with the final song receiving rousing applause and yells. The band's songs were mellow and bluesy without stretching into protracted jam sessions. The guitar riffs were great; a couple of the solos called to mind a more full version of the ringing instrumentals that made R.E.M. great.
The second band, Hidden Agenda, was also original. This band is made up of MIT students with fairly strong individual musical talent. I expect that each of them puts on a good show, but their songs were too trite. Their music in some ways reminded me of the Ident-a-Rock bands of the early '80s; it was like 45 minutes of Air Supply, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas, but not nearly as catchy.
Still, their set list could have worked with a different style. But they had a more fundamental flaw: They lacked a stage presence. The singers were rooted in place, singing as if from a book. The lyrics seemed to be simply words that were belted out in sync with the music. The drums were there to set the beat; the guitar and keyboard were to set the melodies, and the bass was to back them up. But these elements never link up into a band: they never come together to perform for the audience.
The third band was a cover band called Strawdogs; they had the fire that Hidden Agenda lacked. Band frontman Wes Williams '96 opened the set with the comment: "The last time we played some people got arrested. Please don't hurt anyone." It was a fair request, because the set list was a hard-rocking crowd pleaser with a strong Seattle tilt: Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Queensrÿche, Guns 'n' Roses, and a strong Metallica finish. Williams covered the songs well, but more importantly, he had an excellent stage presence that really got the crowd involved in the set. But the real star of the show was lead guitarist Kevin Borland '96, who handled the most intricate melodies with great skill.
The next band, the second and final cover band, was the big surprise of the evening. They called themselves Son BoriCuba. Trumpeter Fermin Garcia '97 described his band as an "Afro-cuban and Caribbean rhythm band." In the middle of the college/alternative music scene, you have to be a little shocked that a band with such a different style of music could succeed, but succeed they did. I only recognized one song, Santana's "Oye Como Va," but that didn't keep me from liking their sound.
This band relied on the performances of its lead singer and trumpeter. The singer was personable and energetic, and knew how to play to the large crowd on the floor and in the seats. Garcia not only played his pieces with precision and heart, but he doubled as an extra percussionist when not actually on the trumpet.
The thing that really made this band was their ability to make the crowd move. As you would expect, their fans were down in front of the stage cheering and dancing. But more importantly, people who had never heard them before could be seen toe-tapping and dancing around the room. These guys were clearly enjoying themselves, and they knew how to make the people in the crowd enjoy themselves as well. In the judges' collective opinion, this excitement was superior to Strawdogs set list, and they named Son BoriCuba the cover band winners.
The final band, Zed Bacchus, came on late, but were well worth the wait. They were very similar to Shifty, but clearly wrote and played at a higher level. Their music had stronger blues influence, and tended towards longer jams rather than songs. The lead singer, Eugene Chuang '96, had a mellow and engaging manner. His calls of "Oh, yeah!" brought the crowd to its feet over and over. And their talent was without question; halfway through the set, the lead guitarist and bassist simply exchanged guitars.
Unfortunately, the Campus Police and the Student Center Committee shut the event down in the middle of their set, at about 12:45 a.m. I would have loved to hear more, but I'll have to catch them at one of their performances at local venues, be they at the Middle East or the Tam. The judges agreed with me, and picked Zed Bacchus as the original winner.
Copyright 1995, The Tech. All rights reserved
This story was published on April 11, 1995
Volume 115, Number 17, Page 8
Source: http://www-tech.mit.edu/V115/N17/battle.17a.html
----
Weekends at Dans
Everyone at the bar stopped in their tracks and all eyes were faced at the stage when Weekends played their single "Anna Rexia" for the first time at a DC club. Everyone waited to hear the end of the story of Anna lost at the shopping mall in their amazing tale of true love and a sound diet!
Why this name?
Dan Damage and I played together in a New Jersey band called Cleverneck. When the band split up, Dan and I spent almost two years writing our best material ever. Since we lived several hundred miles away from eachother, most of the writing was done late-night over the phone, or in person, on the weekends. Hence, "Weekends With Dan."
Do you play live?
I'm doing a live accoustic set including some songs from Weekends at a club in Arlington, Virginia called "Iota Bar and Grill" on Clarendon Blvd. You can catch me there almost every Wednesday night at around 10:30 or so. When Weekends is done recording the radio version of Anna, we plan on playing together as a band in a series of live shows in the northeast.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
I think the internet mostly provides a new path to achieving the age-old goal of getting one's music out to as large of an audience as possible.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
It all depends on what the contract has to offer. Although the internet provides an incredible audience, major lables have the funding to bring music to an even larger audience, if they're willing to back you all the way.
Band History:
Dan and I came from the band Clerverneck in New Jersey. Our first show was on that fateful night when JFK Jr.'s airplane fell from the sky! We had a single entitled "Do Anything." Lately, we have recruited bassist Jim Frint (formerly of Descending Angel) and Jeff McManus (formerly of Pist.On) to make up our rhythm section. They will appear on the radio version of Anna, and on the upcoming LP, tentatively titled "12 Timeless Classics."
Your influences?
Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Frank Zappa, Social Distortion, even Skid Row!
Favorite spot?
Anywhere where I can string up a hammock between the palm trees!
Equipment used:
Ibanez all the way.
Source: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/weekendswithdan.htm
