how to go
WHO: Joan Red
WHERE: McGuffy’s House of Rock, 5418 Burkhardt Road, Dayton
WHEN: 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. Doors open at 7 p.m.
COST: $5 for ages 21 and older, $8 for ages 18 to 20
MORE INFO: (937) 256-3005 or www.mcguffys.net
ARTIST INFO: www.myspace.com/joanred
Joan Red does not exist, at least not in the biological sense of a living, singing female.
Like Jethro Tull, Rilo Kiley or Pink Floyd, Joan Red is a moniker not derived from an actual band member but chosen because it sounded cool.
“We took the name for many reasons,” singer Anthony Basurto said. “But basically, we wanted something that would embody all of us.”
Basurto and lead guitarist Mike Lovelace have been the mainstays of Joan Red since the group formed in Memphis in 2006. After a few member shakeups, the band has solidified as a four-piece, rounded out by bassist Brent Gilliland and drummer Rick Anderson.
“We did a couple of lineup changes before we did anything, but it’s pretty solid now,” Basurto said. “We decided early on we weren’t going to be just a local band. With everything I’ve been through, I’ve seen the ups and downs of it, and I just wanted to get out and show people what we’re about. We decided we were going to come up with something fresh and that’s pretty much when Joan Red was born.”
The group’s full-length debut, “Side Effects of You,” was released Aug. 14. The hard rock album is an aural rollercoaster ride fueled by chunky guitar riffs and catchy vocals that are intelligible and relatable. Songs such as “You Be The Hero” and “Crush” are ready made for modern rock radio and are distinct enough to standout from some of the generic sounds clogging mainstream airwaves.
“It was a great thing for us to finally get that album up and out,” Basurto said. “We’ve been working on it for a good long time now, so to finally be able to release it and say that we did the best that we could on it is a big weight off our shoulders. We’re really excited about it.”
Joan Red, currently on the road in support of “Side Effects of You,” performs at McGuffy’s House of Rock on Friday, Aug. 28. Frequency 54 and Lascivious are also on the bill.
Earlier in the day, Joan Red will present an acoustic set at the Dayton Mall Hot Topic store.
“Spreading the red, baby, that’s what it’s all about,” Basurto said. “We’ve done a lot of Hot Topic gigs all across the country and they’ve actually been really good. It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to take everything down a few notches and really just stand face to face with those people and get really intimate.”
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