DoDriver

Buffalo has some good rock bands, and for anyone who knows this scene that’s not really that big of a secret. There’s a lot of punk bands and emo bands, a lot of metal bands, but not enough heads up rock bands. Well, there is always DoDriver. These guys have a nice early to mid-90’s type straight ahead rock mentality, blended with a bit of today’s style rock as well. This record is definitely anchored by its best song, Watch Me. That is not to say the record fades or falters after it, but this is clearly the most refined track of the bands arsenal. DoDriver’s sound seems to be groomed for the majors, if they were to get that break. They have such an energy and charisma about their music, which comes across in the guitar work. The guitars can cruise through chugging verses, and then explode into big, over-the-top riffing at any time (listen to On Our Way and you’ll understand). That is the mark of a good band, or at least one who knows what they are doing. Coming Alive is a personal favorite from the album, but it was close call for me. I really like Watch Me because it has the flare of something Mark Tremonti and Alterbridge would pen, but the track Ed really has me thinking Crossfade, which is almost never a bad thing. Hands down though, the best guitars of the outing can be found on Foul & Frothy (a song written about skunky beer?) Think Alterbridge’s Rise Today and you can picture the sound of this song. Vocalist Jody Velletta may look like Scott Stapp, but don’t let that fool you. He isn’t out there getting arrested, tanking his career, ruining the name of Christian rock and hanging out with Kid Rock making sex tapes. He has some serious chops and the boy can blow. He owns the skill to rip off a towering hook when need be, which, thankfully for all of us listening, is often.

Their sound has nineties rock written all over it, but it is still refreshing in nature. With time, it will be hard for DoDriver to remain one of Buffalo’s better kept musical secrets.

Rocks like:
- Audioslave - Audioslave
- Crossfade – Crossfade
- Alterbridge - Blackbird




- buffaloathome.com

This premier live music showcase will feature an exclusive performance by GRAMMY®-nominated artist Emerson Hart of Tonic, with special guests More Than Me and Do-DRIVER.

- towercitycenter.com

DoDriver, Buffalo hard rock band to open for KISS

DoDriver photos BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) - A Buffalo hard-rock band has been selected to be the opening act for KISS at Darien Lake Friday night.
KISS is conducting a 22-city-tour and picks local rock bands to open for their shows. DoDriver entered the contest and won. WBFO'S Eileen Buckley talked the lead singer appearing with the famed KISS.

Jody Velletta said he wanted to be a rock and roll singer at the age of 12 and loves being on the stage. But this local rocker is about to get his 15 minutes of fame.

Velletta and his band mates were selected by KISS to open their show at Darien Lake. The band has more than 100-originals and tomorrow night it will have a chance to show-case four of its songs.

- WBFO 88.7 Eileen Buckley

Soul Asylum, A Potter's Field bring Falls crowd back to the '90s | Buffalo News Newspaper | Find Articles at BNET
Buffalo News, Jul 25, 2010 | by Seamus Gallivan
Despite having to duck out of the rain and into the Niagara Falls Conference
Center, the free Hard Rock the Falls summer concert series delivered another
packed show for an all-ages crowd on Old Falls Street Saturday.
Saturday night's show was headlined by '90s hitmakers Soul Asylum, which
produced a fresh set for a mutually appreciative crowd.
Seeking to recapture the magic of their own mid-90s run before splitting off
into bands like nancy's candy and Oui 73, reformed Buffalo quintet A Potter's
Field -- Mai Lien Walters, vocals; Tony Christiano, guitar/vocals; Pete Malloy,
guitar; David Mann, bass; Mike Christiano, drums -- kicked off the jams with a
well-received half-hour of yearning rock with a topical bent, going so far as to
take on the societal impact of one of the event's sponsors, serving up the
anti-casino "Undertaker" within a block of Seneca Niagara Casino.

Seeking to recapture the magic of the hair band era and showing why they've
become Hard Rock Cafe favorites, fellow locals Do Driver -- Jody Velletta,
vocals; Mike Trabucco & Doug Smith, guitars; Joe Martucci, bass; Mark Conlon,
drums -- followed with a starkly different approach. Way up went the adrenaline,
way down went the tuning in another half-hour set that left many among the
hundreds gathered calling for more.
At that point, introducing a solo acoustic act was a head- scratcher. But as
part of Star 102.5's partnership with Hard Rock the Falls, each show includes a
touring artist with a hit song on the airwaves. And out came Bob Schneider, the
incredibly dynamic and prolific icon of the Austin, Texas, music scene. Although
it's no surprise to see Schneider score an adult contemporary hit with "40 Dogs
(Romeo & Juliet)," he belongs in no genre and his live show is most certainly
not safe for office speakers. Both these facts became apparent in his seven-song
set.
Schneider, known for changing styles and voices mid-song , started with
strumming and soft singing on the somber "Changing Your Mind," off of his latest
Shockorama/Kirtland release "Lonely Creatures." He managed to hush most of the
crowd to hang onto every line. His engaging stage presence and potty-mouth
penchant were revealed when he joked about winning a Porsche on a slot machine,
warmly welcomed overtures from a frisky fan, and scandalously suggested that he
got a lot more than wings at the Anchor Bar.
He called for and honored requests with his signature "frunky" delivery on a
mellow "Big Blue Sea" and the rousing, "I'm Good Now." By then, he had won the
crowds and was no doubt surprised when they responded strongly to his call to
sing along with the mambo of "Tarantula."
It's been some two decades since Soul Asylum broke out of Minneapolis with a
firm belief in the populist power of rock 'n' roll. And although the group has
released only one album in the past 12 years, the band still clearly has fire in
its collective belly. This was made instantly obvious in the opener, "Somebody
to Shove." Original members David Pirner (vocals, guitar) and Dan Murphy (lead
guitar) pushed and pulled with Tommy Stinson (bass) and Michael Bland (drums)
with each song, breathing new life into their older material and offering plenty
of reason to believe that a new album can the group back on the charts.
-----
Concert Review
Soul Asylum
With the Incurables, Do Driver and A Potter's Field. Saturday night as part of
the Hard Rock at the Falls Outdoor Summer Concert Series, Niagara Falls.
Copyright 2010
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved. - Buffalo News