Band prepares for CD release party

The quintet put 11 songs on 'Quiet Laughs,' their first album CD.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
For many local bands, making a demo CD is tantamount to playing rock 'n' roll star in a studio.
The group gets to hear itself professionally recorded, family members get to hear the fruits of its labor, and booking a local concert shows becomes slightly easier. In many ways, this was the case for Youngstown's Since86 before things changed.
"Really, that was our whole goal," said keyboardist Dominic J. Peters. "Basically what happened is we made a demo this past winter and we loved what we heard so we thought why not just do a full CD now? The band was like, if we're going to do this right, let's go big first."
A few months later, the members of Since86 walked out of Boardman's Dragonfly Studio with an 11-song testament to not only its talents but its future. The result is the roots-rock based "Quiet Laughs," which paints the quintet -- Peters, Anthony Violante (vocals/guitar), Mike Cleland (guitar), Frank Dravecky (bass/percussion/vocals) and Ryan Daley (drums) -- into familiar territory.
"We're an acoustic rock band," Peters said. "A little bit of indie. We hate naming influences but we kind of draw a Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R type crowd. We're that type of genre. And especially with Coldplay and the piano."
Event planned
To celebrate the completion of "Quiet Laughs," Since86 has scheduled a CD release party Saturday at The Cellar. The band, which is composed of all Poland High School graduates, is hoping this big local show acts as a precursor to regional success and perhaps label attention.
Already the 20-year-old Peters feels as though Since86 is standing out among its peers.
"We want to be an original band," Peters said. "I feel like there are too many hard rock bands, too many screamo bands in our area and you can only listen to these bands for so long. I have nothing against bands in Youngstown, but it seems like we have a different sound, and a lot of people associated with us demand this type of music."
What Peters is suggesting is nothing short of a mandate from the Mahoning Valley musical listening public. And he feels Since86 is the band for everyone.
Added Peters, "The big thing is we appeal to all ages."