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A Room Called Remember
Now here's a band that would have come into heavy play on my pink mini iPod (jealous much?) sometime in the middle of my last breakup — which was a long time before there were pink mini iPods, but never mind. A Room Called Remember, a bunch of lads from Tacoma, have a folk pop sound and a melodic drive that can be adequately described as so Gin Blossoms. John Nichol’s lyrics on “Winter” reduced me to blubbering tears. Cry you face off tonight at Origin 23. — Suzy Stump
[Origin 23, A Room Called Remember, Oh Voices, 7 p.m., all ages - Weekly Volcano
Local rad show
by Matt Driscoll
Dec 31, 2008
What’s not to like?
Taking a look at this weekend’s schedule at the Boneyard, one can’t help but notice Saturday’s show with A Room Called Remember.
Best. Band. Name. Ever. Great band and a really good group of guys. And hey, they have a cello in the band! I mean, cello — you’ve got to come to this show!
A Room Called Remember is — not only moving and urgent — but diverse, unusual and even a bit challenging. The band’s sound is like a punk-spawned angel with classical training, an ear for hooks and the drive to be more than just another schmuck with wings and a halo.
“The good thing is, I’ve known these guys my whole life,” says singer and guitarist John Nichols, who along with keyboardist Bill Anderson, cellist Caleb Hegg, drummer Steven Kuriatnyk and bassist Vander Corley round out A Room Called Remember — a band named after a Frederick Buechner essay by the same name. “It translates musically really well. We’re all from Tacoma. We were all riding our bikes around Tacoma when we were young. We’ve all been friends, made tree forts and gotten in fights together.
“The goal is always just to have fun,” continues Nichols. “And to do something confidently that’s energizing and refreshing.”
Energizing and refreshing are only a few of the adjectives one might use to describe the well-crated tunes A Room Called Remember pumps out.
Another might be “rad.”
A Room Called Remember, Destruction Island and Jessica Maughan will play Jazzbones this Saturday night, as part of “Pretty Boy Sean’s Indie Rock Showcase.” Unless one of your New Year’s resolutions is to avoid good, local rock shows — this one’s hard to bet against.
[Jazzbones, A Room Called Remember, Destruction Island, Jessica Maughan, Saturday, Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m., $5, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169] - Weekly Volcano
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
To get a better idea of what we might sound like, take a look at some of the press write ups we've received.
A Room Called Remember can satisfy almost everyone. Hard enough for the younger crowd, but melodies that even the older crowd will like.
Most of the members of "A Room Called Remember" have, literally, known each other from infancy. (All but Bill who is from North Dakota.) "All of our parents new each other before we were even born," John Nichols (songwriter and frontman) explains, "our moms put us together when we were still crawling and we grew up together. I don't even recall meeting them; I've always just known them. I'm really lucky that way- we all are, except Bill [laughs]."
Perhaps this youthful origin accounts for the strong connection to childhood that enlivens all of ARCR's work. The songs are sweetly melodic and sung with startling conviction. "Writing these songs, and playing them with these guys is...for me it's hugely meaningful. And I think, to some degree, for everyone else that hears us too."
Also check out more pics and info at www.arcrmusic.com
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