ROCK MUSIC The Sun will shine in Northeast Ohio

The band's first album is actually a DVD.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The future appears bright for Northeast Ohio native and The Sun guitarist Bryan Arendt with his band's recently released Warner Bros. Records debut album "Blame It on the Youth."
Perhaps it's the outfit's youth or the fact it toured with the highly creative alternative act The Flaming Lips before (and obviously some of that band's artsy mojo rubbed off) that speaks to The Sun's unique approach to its first album, which isn't a CD at all.
It's actually a DVD, featuring videos for each of the album's 14 songs, along with audio files just begging the iPod nation to rip and share with the masses.
Risky approach
It's a risky marketing approach, especially with a major label picking up the tab, but Arendt is hopeful about the band's prospects.
"There's definitely risks to it, but I think the audience we're going after listens to music that way, and I can't remember the last time I actually bought a CD," said Arendt, calling from Columbus.
"I buy a lot of DVDs, download music online and I listen to all my music on either my computer or my iPod."
In addition, the band has placed a provocative adult-oriented video for album track "Romantic Death," on its web site (www.thesunwebsite.com), where fans can insert their own picture into the clip and impress their unsuspecting friends.
As for the album, Arendt said it is being released on vinyl and he would assume eventually it would see a conventional CD release. The only current downside is the DVD won't play in car CD players.
High School Rock Off
This is an exciting time for Arendt, a 1998 Euclid High School graduate, who was in the Northeast Ohio musical spotlight years ago when his teenage band 32 Fluid Ounces made it to the finals of the annual High School Rock Off event held every January at The Odeon Concert Club.
Having grown up around the Grog Shop and old Euclid Tavern, Arendt understands the type of audience The Sun needs to find with its decidedly Clash-like aesthetic and punk-based foundation.
"We didn't want to get stuck into one sound," Arendt said.
"Originally the idea was to make like a mixed tape, almost, for the album where every song would be completely different.
"And that ended up coming through I think but it's still cohesive. It sounds like the same band, but we tried to change directions and not have two songs that sound the same on the record."
Tavern show
The Columbus-based five-piece -- all of its members gave Ohio State University a shot before band leader Chris Burney returned from California with a record deal in hand -- returns to Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom for a Tavern show Sunday at the popular indie-friendly venue.
Even though the band's business affairs are far from a budget-minded indie operation, its sound speaks directly to the anti-establishment and underground community.
"This is it," Arendt said.
"We're getting ready to tour here and that Cleveland show is the second show of the tour, so we're excited. It's all been working toward this and now we're just going to tour until we can't tour anymore and it's time to make the next one."