Starlight Darlings shine but don't get overheated

By Guy D’Astolfo

Their songs are built around the vocalist.

Frank Nolasco and Christa Flora are relaxing with a cold root beer on a sunny day.

As they talk about their band, the Starlight Darlings, it becomes clear that they like to keep things light and unrushed.

This no-pressure attitude explains how they effortlessly produce such breezy, pleasure-zone pop music. “We have a laid-back attitude,” says Nolasco. “Our general attitude is we don’t really care. If someone messes up during a song, we’ll just laugh and say, ‘Wow, you really missed that note!’”

But staying loose can be a powerful attribute in a band, many of which have been prematurely ended by personality conflicts and competing ideas about direction and dedication. For the Darlings, whose music flows from a happier place, it is a strength.

“We’re kids who grew up in the suburbs,” said Nolasco. “We’re not mad at anyone.”

The Darlings trace their roots to Finding Mike Vagas, a promising act that broke up over a year ago. Nolasco was in the band, along with namesake drummer Mike Vagas, who is in Starlight. Bill Wharry, formerly of Sonny Daze, has taken over at bass.

Nolasco and Flora started performing as an acoustic act in 2007, and the current-lineup Starlight Darlings played its first show in February 2008. Nolasco said the sound is poppier and more easily digestible than FMV, who, incidentally, will play a reunion show May 23 at Barley’s in Youngstown.

The Darlings have built their sound around Flora’s voice.

Her wistful and dreamy vocals float above an ever-changing sea of jangly guitar, tinkling piano and bongos. With bright melodies that complement her Natalie Merchant-like voice, the resultant comparisons to ’80s-’90s rock band 10,000 Maniacs are inevitable.

The band is the first one Flora has ever been in. “I’ve done the whole church choir scene growing up,” said Flora, who also was in the chorus at Youngstown State University.

She also writes the lyrics for Starlight Darlings. “They give me the chord progressions and I might ask them, ‘What were you thinking about? Where were you trying to go?’,” she said.

Because each member is busy with school and careers, the band can only play out about once a month, making each show a little more eventful. But with summer festival season approaching, the Starlight Darlings expect to get out under the stars a little more often.

In the meantime, the band can be seen at Mojo’s in Austintown this Friday. Nolasco said to expect a fun show.

“We’ve been known to throw percussion instruments into the crowd so they can play along,” he said.