El Radio Fantastique is a cinematic, genre-bending band that defies classification. It is led by its founder, Giovanni DiMorente. Channeling disparate past experiences as a grave digger, dumpster diver, and pop star (of the 80s band Times Two), DiMorente fancies and celebrates the broken and crooked, the paradox of finding beauty in things unpleasant, and he and his band celebrate them with sublime melody and raw emotion.
DiMorente has been a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), and not only writes songs for himself to sing, but also for other vocalists in the band. Violinist Noelle Boucher and keyboardist Robin Livingston both step up to center stage to sing some of DiMorente’s compositions that he has tailored specifically for their individual singing styles, one of which that was co-written by Livingston. Bassist Colin Schlitt is not only another lead singer, but also an accomplished songwriter himself who sings his own original compositions in the band. With this wealth of songwriting, El Radio Fantastique has well over 3 hours of original material at their disposal that encompasses multiple musical genres.
With so many lead singers and songwriters stepping out front, coupled with DiMorente switching from guitar, to keyboards, to theremin, to flute, and to percussion, the audience is left transfixed, never knowing what will come next. The genres are ever changing as well. The band effortlessly drifts from punk rock to neo-classical, from indie-power pop to funky dance grooves, all with a throughline of catchiness and authenticity. With the collective of singers in the band, Beatle-esque harmonies are ubiquitous, as are the ear-worm melodies and undeniable pop hooks infused into the exceptional songwriting and seasoned musicianship. The band is rounded out with the versatile guitar work of Jim Cucuzzella, providing at times both blistering and delicately sublime leads and counter-melodies, and the North Star steady beat and hypnotic flourishes of drummer Gene Fisher.
DiMorente and the other members of El Radio Fantastique have bonds that go back to childhood. They have well over 100 years of combined playing experience as individuals, and the core members have been playing together for over 15 years. This deep connection and history manifests itself in the uniquely riveting chemistry they display onstage and on record.
Junk Parlor
With a track-record of impressive studio work under its belt and a local reputation for colorful live performances, Junk Parlor is a musical act that invites its audiences down a joyful – often raucous – path. It’s moody melodies and poetic storytelling conjures up a fantastically-edgy and intoxicating dreamscape. The band’s signature sound is multi-faceted; spattered with traditional Eastern-European melodies and rhythms, Bohemian janglings and exotic vintage belly dance melodies. Modern musical stylings are interwoven with 50s Rock and 80s Punk influences to concoct a heady, haunting and almost cinematic experience. Both while performing on stage as well as via its recorded works, Junk Parlor sways back and forth between earnestly upbeat, and time-warping lullabies and tales of debauchery and horror.
