what the critics think of The Schmeltz...
THE ORLANDO SENTINEL
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_music_blog/2008/05/fmf-2008-day--6.html
***Speaking of odd-looking things: Ladies and gentlemen, the Schmeltz!
"We're what might happen if Weird Al Yankovic and Stone Temple Pilots had a baby," guitarist Vince Parrolli is telling me before the outlandish pseudo-parody rock band took the stage Saturday at Wall Street Plaza.
Dressed in a choir robe, Parrolli is the most normally attired member of a group that also includes a guy with a stuffed gnome strapped to his back (BRIAN: that would be yours truly here, Brian) and another guy in some kind of masked superhero costume
With songs inspired by Star Trek and covers that include Olivia Newton John's "Let's Get Physical," the Schmeltz are WAY more Weird Al than Stone Temple Pilots. It works surprisingly well, especially when the one dude starts impaling that poor stuffed gnome with his guitar.
(BRIAN: yeah that was me again. sorry. my bad)
Maybe the secret of the band's magic is that these guys are solid musicians, with day jobs playing in Orlando's Blue Man Group. I hate to break it to them, but I like the Schmeltz better...
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FLORIDA MUSIC FESTIVAL REVIEW by John Booth
credit: http://johnbooth.typepad.com/fieldsedge/
FMF 2008, Day 3, Last Call
By JIM CARCHIDI
FMF 2008 is in the books and Day 3 was the perfect topper. A brunch event at The Gibson Lounge, courtesy of BMI Music, brought out some Orlando favorites in all their acustic glory. Band Marino, Baron Von Bear and Rachel Goodrich, all of whom will be touring together starting this week, played some great sets on a hot afternoon. And, not to be outdone, Moe’s SouthWest Grille put out a great spread. I could have gone home happy and called it a day -- but I didn’t (duh) ‘cause the evening showcases had yet to start!
And what did the evening sets have in store? The Schmeltz!
Simply put: if Devo, The Ramones and Weird Al had an orgy, The Schmeltz would be left at a Fire House 9 months later... and they’d rock the place. The frontman is a Blue Man, sans the make-up. Really, that’s his day job. The whole band starts their set in costumes. There’s a Pimp, a Choir Boy, Batman, a Greaser, something that looked like a golfer and a guy in a prom tux with a Gnome backpack that he beats with his guitar at show's end. (BRIAN: christ...is that my legacy? what i will be most remembered for? hmm...wait a minute...AWESOME!)
Anyway, if the song titles aren’t enough to entice you (Soccer Mom, Whiskey Dick, The Spocker) then the lyrics will. Example: The Spocker, “Open your cargo bay. Let me dock. Move over Kirk. Make way for Spock!”
They are the self appointed “World’s greatest opening band in the world!” They are, and then some! When the 2 best bands you see during a weekend are The Police and The Schmeltz, you had a damn fine weekend. BRIAN: did we just get put in the same sentence as the M'F POLICE as being THE BEST BANDS HE SAW!?!?
There was also a Rock & Roll fashion show at CityArts Factory. Let’s face it, it wasn't Paris Fashion Week but the promise of seeing hot models walking around in who-knows-what is a worthy diversion at any event.
The headliner for the night was Pras, of the former hip hop group The Fugees. He went on late so, I missed him. The real draw of the evening was Thomas Wynn and The Believers. Formerly of The Wynn Brothers Band, Thomas put together a great ensemble that touts a Southern Rock edge with some R&B and a lot of soul mixed in. As FMF 2008 wound down, they lit up Cheyenne Salloon and made for a great ending to a great festival.
Check out the updated photo gallery now, and look for a wrap-up essay on FMF 08 coming soon
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_music_blog/2008/05/fmf-2008-day--6.html
***Speaking of odd-looking things: Ladies and gentlemen, the Schmeltz!
"We're what might happen if Weird Al Yankovic and Stone Temple Pilots had a baby," guitarist Vince Parrolli is telling me before the outlandish pseudo-parody rock band took the stage Saturday at Wall Street Plaza.
Dressed in a choir robe, Parrolli is the most normally attired member of a group that also includes a guy with a stuffed gnome strapped to his back (BRIAN: that would be yours truly here, Brian) and another guy in some kind of masked superhero costume
With songs inspired by Star Trek and covers that include Olivia Newton John's "Let's Get Physical," the Schmeltz are WAY more Weird Al than Stone Temple Pilots. It works surprisingly well, especially when the one dude starts impaling that poor stuffed gnome with his guitar.
(BRIAN: yeah that was me again. sorry. my bad)
Maybe the secret of the band's magic is that these guys are solid musicians, with day jobs playing in Orlando's Blue Man Group. I hate to break it to them, but I like the Schmeltz better...
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
FLORIDA MUSIC FESTIVAL REVIEW by John Booth
credit: http://johnbooth.typepad.com/fieldsedge/
FMF 2008, Day 3, Last Call
By JIM CARCHIDI
FMF 2008 is in the books and Day 3 was the perfect topper. A brunch event at The Gibson Lounge, courtesy of BMI Music, brought out some Orlando favorites in all their acustic glory. Band Marino, Baron Von Bear and Rachel Goodrich, all of whom will be touring together starting this week, played some great sets on a hot afternoon. And, not to be outdone, Moe’s SouthWest Grille put out a great spread. I could have gone home happy and called it a day -- but I didn’t (duh) ‘cause the evening showcases had yet to start!
And what did the evening sets have in store? The Schmeltz!
Simply put: if Devo, The Ramones and Weird Al had an orgy, The Schmeltz would be left at a Fire House 9 months later... and they’d rock the place. The frontman is a Blue Man, sans the make-up. Really, that’s his day job. The whole band starts their set in costumes. There’s a Pimp, a Choir Boy, Batman, a Greaser, something that looked like a golfer and a guy in a prom tux with a Gnome backpack that he beats with his guitar at show's end. (BRIAN: christ...is that my legacy? what i will be most remembered for? hmm...wait a minute...AWESOME!)
Anyway, if the song titles aren’t enough to entice you (Soccer Mom, Whiskey Dick, The Spocker) then the lyrics will. Example: The Spocker, “Open your cargo bay. Let me dock. Move over Kirk. Make way for Spock!”
They are the self appointed “World’s greatest opening band in the world!” They are, and then some! When the 2 best bands you see during a weekend are The Police and The Schmeltz, you had a damn fine weekend. BRIAN: did we just get put in the same sentence as the M'F POLICE as being THE BEST BANDS HE SAW!?!?
There was also a Rock & Roll fashion show at CityArts Factory. Let’s face it, it wasn't Paris Fashion Week but the promise of seeing hot models walking around in who-knows-what is a worthy diversion at any event.
The headliner for the night was Pras, of the former hip hop group The Fugees. He went on late so, I missed him. The real draw of the evening was Thomas Wynn and The Believers. Formerly of The Wynn Brothers Band, Thomas put together a great ensemble that touts a Southern Rock edge with some R&B and a lot of soul mixed in. As FMF 2008 wound down, they lit up Cheyenne Salloon and made for a great ending to a great festival.
Check out the updated photo gallery now, and look for a wrap-up essay on FMF 08 coming soon