I Am Fighting

There are few things better in life than discovering amazing, brand new music. With that being said, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite band. Joseph Gehrmann, Dominick Gaglio, Dan Tretola, Joe Static and Walter Dicristina (not pictured) make up the pop/rock outfit I Am Fighting. This bold gang of New Jersey(!) musicians have been writing and recording for the past eleven months in order to present us with their EP, All The Ways We Can.

The hauntingly beautiful and [lastfm]OneRepublic[/lastfm]-esque “lost.and.losing” is my personal favorite but it’s just as easy to fall in love with the insanely catchy “Believe, Believe” or the powerful “Ghost“. I dare you to listen to any one of these songs and not have it stuck in your head for the rest of the day. The group has managed to marry true intimacy with radio-ready choruses and that’s no easy feat. Their songs are irresistible, heartfelt and full of promise.

I Am Fighting doesn’t try to win you over with glossy nonsense or tacky studio gimmicks. They just give you honest music that they have poured their hearts and souls into. It’s the kind of thing where you can just listen, smile, and say to yourself: “damn… this is a really good song.” Their sound is extremely refreshing in an age where most artists have forgotten what it’s really all about: the music. They’re local guys who you can actually understand and relate to and that may certainly be something true music fans are yearning for. (I know I am). The best part is that their songs can be enjoyed universally (in other words, your mom won’t be screaming at you to turn down the music because she actually likes it too.)

The most beautiful art comes from those who believe that art is a necessity to life; those who live to create and create to live. The I Am Fighting boys are most satisfied creating and playing songs that they truly believe in – not songs that are just passable, but ones that are exactly what they want them to be. All The Ways We Can is a triumphant and enthusiastic album. It’s available September 28th. - 923now.com

I Am Fighting is a band from the Kearny, New Jersey area that plays original songs. This band is Pop Rock at it’s best. You can feel the emotion in every word that is sung (especially in “You Are Killing Me” and “In Love & War”). The striking guitars provide the underlining and the driving drums and thunderous bass back up the lyrics providing a moving melodic package in each song. The guys in I Am Fighting are professionals and know what good songs sound like. You can hear the craftsmanship that goes into each song from each member of the band. It’s only a matter of time until this band starts playing huge venues so catch them while you still can! - Jerseyrockreview.com

For over 40 years, the volunteers of Camp Fatima of New Jersey have spent summers providing a special place for children and adults with mental disabilities to have a truly unique experience. On Friday, Jan. 27, Camp Fatima will have its first CFNJ Benefit Rock Show.
Featuring a slew of talent, including Kearny’s own I Am Fighting and rock group The Tonight Life, “Fighting” for Fatima presents a great show for an even greater cause.

“I got the idea in August of this year while I was at Camp Fatima itself, hearing the director of the camp speak about how, although the camp is free to campers, fundraisers go on all year round to prepare for the upcoming summer,” said Joe Gehrmann, lead singer of I Am Fighting and counselor at Camp Fatima. “I told myself that moment that, the following year, I was going to throw a fundraiser with my band for the camp.”

The camp, which is free to all who attend, is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations from generous parties in order to survive. The camp itself is unique in its ability to offer one on one services to the disabled and provdes an overnight experience for the children and a bit of a respite for their parents.

“Once they see how wonderful the treatment for the kid is, they can’t wait to bring their kid back,” explained Camp Director Paul Murphy, who recounted a story of two parents who were able to go on a vacation for the first time in 25 years after having their daughter attend the camp.

Deciding which children will get into the two oneweek programs, is the sticky part of Murphy’s responsibility.

“Unfortunately, we cannot take everybody,” explained Murphy of the camp’s application process. “How we determine our numbers is based on the number of volunteer applications we have. Every child gets one counselor, almost like a big brother- big sister type of deal.”

The volunteers of this camp, who come every year to make the experience as great as it can be for its participants, are the ones who solidify the camp’s exceptional reputation.

“You watch and they do more and it’s selfless,” said Murphy, who started working with the camp in 1997 when his cousin, Eddie Raguseo, became a camper. “You want to help give in a way that you feel will be unique to each other.”

“No one gets paid,” said Harrison’s Nick Landy, a former Camp Director who got involved when he was in high school in 1986.

As for “Fighting” for Fatima itself, tickets for the show cost $15, with the proceeds going directly for the camp itself. The show, which will take place at Teaneck’s Mexicali Live, will feature two of the area’s Pop Rock bands, a must listen for anyone who enjoys good music. For those who may have missed the April edition of the Observer where I Am Fighting was previewed, or in the year end review where they received an award for Music Act Most Likely To Be Famous, I Am Fighting is a pop rock group featuring several songs containing emotionally powerful music that bleeds through many of the band’s tracks.

Joining them at Mexicali Live will be The Tonight Life. The Tonight Life, made up of guitarist Joe Crawford, bass player Kevin ‘Jazz’ Siedel, and vocalist Kim Crawford, matches the tone set by I Am Fighting and their powerful music. The Clifton-based band has a sound similar to the rock band Paramore.

The band’s up-tempo beat helps provide a foundation for Kim Crawford’s soft, but powerful, voice to take control of the crowd. Songs like Catching Fire and Right Through You showcase the band’s talent that will definitely be on display at Mexicali Live.

All proceeds will directly benefit the camp, which uses the money to allow free admission and cover the costs needed to feed and take care of the nearly 50 or 60 campers per week of the two-week camp.

While the experience provided is exceptional for the children attending, the volunteers derive a lot of happiness from being able to help out those in need.

“It changed my life in so many ways,” Gehrmann expl - The Observer Online