9/6 LANSDOWNE @ The Middle East Downstairs with Easton Legacy, A Hero Next Door, Half Hearted Hero, with DJ E-Marce - Back to School Show *$5!! September 6, 2008

Saturday, September 6, 2008
The Middle East Downstairs

LANSDOWNE
Easton Legacy
A Hero Next Door
Half Hearted Hero
DJ E-Marce

Back to School Show

18+
8PM Doors
Only $5!!

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LANSDOWNE


Boston-based LANSDOWNE, armed with an undying passion for performance, has burst onto the music scene with a sound and story that tells of a dramatic past and a relentlessly energetic present. In just a few short months since coming together, LANSDOWNE is already selling out Boston clubs, and has been named one of Bostons best bands, by TOP 40 powerhouse Mix 98.5, earning them a finalist position in Mixs Have A Nice Gig competition, to open for Bon Jovi.

Formed in January 2006, LANSDOWNE is Jon Ricci (vocals, lyrics), Shaun Lichtenstein (guitars), and Tom Sargent (bass). The name originates from the legendary Boston street cradled between historic Fenway Park, and the clubs that have been home to generations of music.

We were walking out of a show last winter, trying to think of a name that really meant something to us, something we could imagine in lights and really identify with as a band, says lead singer, Jon Ricci. LANSDOWNE was a natural choice since we have spent so much time over the years in the streets clubs, listening to the music that has inspired us to be musicians.

Pulling influence from decades of rock, ranging from bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, Pearl Jam, U2 and The Police, to singer/songwriters like Jeff Buckley and John Mayer, the band draws upon an eclectic base to push forward with their own sound. Already having opened for artists including Wyclef Jean and Blessid Union Of Souls, and OK Go, LANSDOWNE has wasted no time proving that they can share the stage with some of the worlds most popular acts.

Playing live is the payoff, says bassist, Tom Sargent. Every show is an opportunity to share what we live for with these kids that are dying to believe in something, whether it is a cause or just good music, and I am excited to be part of a group that could have so much impact.

And it is an impact that they are making.

With the release of their debut EP, Leaving Boston, LANSDOWNE packs this 5-song offering with tracks that push through and beyond the cookie-cutter love songs and woe-is-me drama. Songs like Cant See and Amidst The Gray provide energetic, hopeful testimony on learning from past mistakes and the frustration of a stagnant pop culture, while Hours In Between stands out as the head-bopping ultra-infectious lead-off to a record that pulls no punches when inspiring its listener to throw the whole thing on repeat.

We chose Leaving Boston as the title-track for our record because it tells the story of needing to leave home to find out who were really are, and that is just what we are doing, says guitarist, Shaun Lichtenstein. Boston is our home and it has taught us so much, but everyone faces a point in their lives when they have got to know what else is out there. Along the way we want everyone to know that not only are we out there to keep learning about ourselves as people and musicians, but we are out there for them, too.

Quickly becoming a fan favorite is Emma, a four-minute call to action dealing with the epidemic of domestic violence. With lyrics like Emma, look through the eyes that Im looking through... Cuz never has the world been black and white, doesnt need to be black and blue, listeners feel the immediate impact of just how necessary it is to embrace the issue, and become a voice for others that cannot speak for themselves.

Whether you are being abused or know someone who has endured abuse, everyone is affected, says Ricci. I think it is important to speak out with the hope that we are creating awareness and inspiring action. We have a chance to use the stage for something incredible, and we plan on taking advantage of every moment of it.

With a powerful live show, a hopeful message, and their debut EP already making an impact, LANSDOWNE has hit the ground running with all three members ready to make every show an experience that will leave their audiences energized, empowered, and coming back for more.

Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/lansdowne

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EASTON LEGACY


Easton Legacys latest EP, New Nightmares to Challenge Sleep, is one of the most ambitious releases Ive heard coming from a band that is just starting out. They dont just want to play the fundamental something that is comparable to doing figure 8s or double axel jumps for skaters. Easton Legacy want to do the quadruple jumps and death-spirals which guys like The Receiving End of Sirens and 30 Seconds to Mars do, and Easton Legacy are quite good at doing the really hard stuff. Their EP was recorded Apple Head Studio in Woodstock, New York and produced by Michael Birnbaum and Chris Bitner (Coheed and Cambria, John Mayer, Straylight Run, The Sleeping), so their coaches have mentored several triumphant artists in the past. New Nightmares to Challenge Sleep acts as a momentum builder to get the pendulum swinging, and it definitely gives the band momentum.

The lead vocals of Jesse have a street savvy pitch that makes his style of singing accessible to audiences to reach. His guitar playing along with Charles on lead guitar builds the songs into grandiose rock scores that show excellent handling of riffs as large as tsunamis. The rhythmic grooves are steep made by Joe on bass/backup vocals and Ryan on drums, filled in by lush synth padding from Brian ..boards. The band works with a pop punk framework and adds patches of hardcore guitars and new wave-esque synths. The tracks are big league productions with quite a bit of substance like the occasional pick slides through Monster Eats the Pilot and the classic piano grafting giving Back Off Man Im a Scientist leverage on its exodus. The music shows ambitious spins and cycling with a jazzy punk rock propulsion on the two aforementioned tracks that is reminiscent of The Last Goodnight.

The vibrating chords of Run for It Marty generate a series of electrical charges, and the steely intensity of the chord rotations along If Youre Not Mad Enough to Bare produce trellises of synergy. The band delves into spectre-like lexicons in the guitar phrases and mallet sized drumbeats on Goodnight Neverland, and synth pop textures undercoating the prog rock transmissions of Traitors of the Lost Ark which fatten the melodys density. To add to the complexity of their music, Easton Legacy also write complex lyrics that are cleverly versed like in Monster Eats the Pilot as Jesse relays, Bury me at sea before I unceremoniously drown between the sheets / The frigid oceans waters that surround me have coded my torrid temperament / This tomb is free of regret / We are broken / Here alone, Im waiting for the last time you have to call and bring me to your door / This is a cause for an alarm and Im at my last resort. The imagery is reminiscent of the lyrics from The Receiving End of Sirens, using symbolism and veiled innuendos to express feelings of hurt and hope.

Easton Legacy's music has a number of correlations to bands like TREOS, 30 Seconds to Mars, and even Good Charlotte, but its the way they handle the hard stuff that makes their EP attractive and worth checking out. Absolutepunk.net

Artist Website: http://www.eastonlegacy.com/

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A HERO NEXT DOOR


"At 9:15 Boston's A Hero Next Door climbed onto the stage. The band is comprised of five guys; each appeared to be in his early 20s, most of them quite handsome, and a good number noticeably wee. The quintet is configured in the usual way I suppose: two guitars, bass, drums, and a vocalist left to freely dance or pace about the remaining free space on the stage. To use the term loosely, the band is emo that is to say its music is a healthy dose of the teeny pop schlock that passes for emo now, with just enough reverence paid to the originators to earn it the benefit of doubt. While most of the set was merely pleasant, there were some nice high points, including a new song that featured some fantastic interplay between the lead guitar and vocals.

Although the band's grating guitar dissonance is appreciated and goes a long way to ward off the unflattering pop label its stage show swings the band firmly back into line with its ovine peers. Bluntly, A Hero Next Door's performance was saccharine and mechanical. The synchronized jumps, practiced microphone tricks, boy-band dance moves, and finale stage "dive" made me feel just a bit dirty, and no amount of raised-guitar thrashing and stomping could cleanse me. Although it is obvious that frontman Mike Soltoff is a fine showman, his tried audience banter on this night fell flat due to a serious case of nerves. Whether this was the band's first gig at The Middle East I'm not sure, but I am sure this was a big show for the band regardless. Thankfully, a healthy number of family and friends showed up to support the band. In fact, A Hero Next Door drew the biggest audience of the night. " Sid @ Toomuchrock.com

Artist Website: http://www.aheronextdoor.com/

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HALF HEARTED HERO


We are Half Hearted Hero, a pop/punk band from Southeastern Massachusetts drowning in a sea of hardcore and metal bands. Our debut EP "Home" was self-released on September 19, 2007.

Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/halfheartedheroband

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DJ E-MARCE (Paper!/Throwed!/Banger!)


Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/emarce

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Buy tickets online at Ticketmaster:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/8547

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Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of Middle_East.