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Deo Vendice likes its chances of winning
LOCAL CONTESTANTS
Three Youngstown-area bands will
appear in the High School Rock Off at House of Blues in Cleveland. The rounds begin at 3:30 p.m. Saturday; 5:30 p.m. Sunday; 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21; 3:30 p.m. Jan. 22; 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28; and 3:30 p.m. Jan. 29. The championship round begins at
3 p.m. Feb. 12. Tickets are $10 for all days and can be purchased from the bands or Ticketmaster. A limited amount of tickets might be available at the door.
Local bands appearing are:
Saturday: Deo Vendice (Austintown Fitch and Boardman high schools)
Jan. 29: Northern Whale (Austintown Fitch)
Jan. 29: Sinful Faith (Boardman and Springfield high schools)
See also:
By John Benson
When it comes to the annual Tri-C High School Rock Off, which takes place weekends Saturday through Feb. 12 at the House of Blues, local band Deo Vindice — Austintown Fitch High School students keyboardist Alex Welsh 16, singer-guitarist Kane Yak, 17, and guitarist Zach Warmouth, 16, along with Boardman High School bassist Danny McMasterm, 16 — is as opinionated about music as it is confident of its talents.
“There’s all of these bands out now that sound like they’re from the Vans Warped tour that I don’t like,” Warmouth said. “I don’t like the screamo stuff, the mainstream stuff you hear everyday. It takes no talent, and I just don’t like it.”
As far as the Mahoning County-based act is concerned, the most inspiring music era is classic rock from decades ago. That is with the lone exception of contemporary-rock act Kings of Leon. In terms of Deo Vindice, Warmouth has it all figured out.
“The bands that have inspired us over the years are mainly like AC/DC and Van Halen,” Warmouth said. “The one new band that has inspired us to do everything and that we really love is Kings of Leon, whose singer, Caleb Followill, is such a lyrical genius. Everything they do is so different, and the sound is so good. We’ve written a lot of stuff that’s been inspired by them. A lot of our sound can match Kings of Leon.”
Going into its first Tri-C High School Rock Off appearance this Saturday, Deo Vindice has been hard at work on its set list, which includes originals such as the fun-sounding “High,” the in-your-face “Shake n’ Bake” and the laid-back “Here’s to the Nights.” The quartet also plans to play Kings of Leon cover “Four Kicks.”
Considering all the band members are juniors in high school, with thus another year of Rock Off eligibility, Warmouth admits this year’s high-profile battle of the bands could in theory be used to gain experience. However, it doesn’t sound like he’s approaching it as a r sum -building affair.
“I firmly believe we can win the Rock Off because I know there will be professional judges who know a lot about music there,” Warmouth said. “Also, our sound is different from any other band in the world out there. I know that for a fact, and I firmly believe we put out one of the best shows out there right now. I feel like we can win it.”
When it’s mentioned that he sounds cocky, Warmouth brushes aside such talk of hubris as nothing more than believing in his band, which was formed last summer.
“I don’t feel cocky; I just have a lot of faith in us and feel really good about playing with these guys,” Warmouth said. “We’ve been trying to get it together so long. Now we have, and I’m very confident.”