WHITING

I ventured out on a springtime Friday evening on a journey risking life and limb to attend a cd release party and concert. OK, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but I did attend a concert in the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville Pa. which was the location for the classic B film “The Blob”. This was the perfect venue for an album launch concert. The venue ambiance and history of the theatre itself played perfectly with the evening’s show. “The Blob” was the first starring role for classic movie actor Steve McQueen and I believe this venue will again launch another great career, this time for the band CoastalRise.

I haven’t done a written review of a concert in quite some time. Part of that is because I attend a lot of concerts each year. I find it hard trying to write about shows that were great in the moment to see but didn’t have anything that distinguished it from all the other concerts. I’m not a fan of play by play reviews going over the set lists and such so I tend to just post up shots and let them be the full story. That’s not to say these were bad shows but when you attend so many shows after a while they do tend to run together in the old memory. I can surely state that this evening will not fall into this category.

Let me give you a little bit of a backstory for those unfamiliar with this south eastern Pa. indie band. The band is fronted by two lead singers Brenna Carnuccio and Timmy Whiting which gives great variety to their music. Add in Nic Frishmuth on drums, Eric Cogorno on Trumpet, David Thompson on Bass and Lance Mobley on organ and you have a great , harmonious sound. It’s hard to put into words the description of the band’s overall sound because it doesn’t fit into any of the typical genres like rock or pop.

Throughout the album they mix it up just enough to give you different sounds, without sounding like a hodgepodge of songs thrown together or making each song sound the same. Their latest release continues on the past success of their first album with the refreshingly new, upbeat, and campy sound which fit perfectly for the venue’s history. This evenings show was a wonderful event and the addition of new band members really gave the music and show so much depth and variety. The writing and musical compositions really remind me a bit of Gungor and how they build songs . The evening was a nonstop fun-fest for all those in attendance. You could really see their hearts pour out into their performance and they truly gave it their all on stage and left nothing back. It reminds me of little league sport where you know they are truly doing it for the love of the game and not for any other reason. They really performed and entertained the audience from start to finish and made everyone feel like they were part of an experience. From the bouncing beach balls to the video backdrops helping to tell the story Coastal Rise put on a show I will remember for years to come. - Christian Concert Photos / Joe Zimmerman

Coastalrise at Creation NE 2011 and NPR interview publicized on CS website - Christian Surfers USA

Feature Interview on 'Here & Now,' NPR with Robin Young - Trustees of Boston University

Artist review and interview in Surrender Magazine pages 6-7 - Surrender Magazine

Artist and songs "Hollow" and "Perfume" reviewed in I Am Entertainment Magazine - NFluential Holdings