Home2011 Reviews and Interviews New Year's Eve with The Werks, Papadosio, roeVy, and Carma/Attak
New Year's Eve with Carma/Attak, roeVy, Papadosio, and The Werks
at the LC Pavilion
Written by Jimmy Cummings
Buckeye Music Magazine had a lot to celebrate this past
year; so to commemorate such a great year we decided to have a little fun in
the State capital with 2500 fans and friends at the LC Pavilion in Columbus. Chubby,
Kim and I arrived around 6pm, just in time to hear The Werks and Papadosio
sound check; and let me tell you, after hearing the Werksadosio sound check, I
was more than excited about bringing 2012 with The Werks, Papadosio, roeVy, and
Carma/Attak. I was bummed that my wife Lisa couldn’t make the trip but she had
to werk the next day. Rest assured I was thinking about you the whole time, I
love you baby! The doors opened at 8pm and Carma/Attak took the stage at 8:30
followed by roeVy. It was a rather late arriving crowd but those who came early
got a good dose of the DJ duos from Columbus.
The DJ duo of Carma/Attak opened the evening and got the
party started with some great electro/techno mixes. Nick Reed (Carma) and Chad
Attak Smith (Attak) are mainstays in the Columbus music scene and the forces
behind the Columbus production company called My Best Friends Party. The two
combine for a dubstep/electro sound that got those on the dance floor moving
and set the tone for the entire evening. Following Carma/Attak was roeVy, a
DJ/VJ duo from Columbus that came to the LC stage with an arsenal of Electronic
Techno/Metal (that’s how I describe their sound). There is no mistaking these
guys, roeVy takes the stage with their black masks, red glowing eyes and killer
light show complete with video visuals from Hell; these guys are what nightmares
are made of. The hard driving beats seem to invade your soul, especially when
the red eyes become lasers that shoot straight into the audience. roeVy is one
musical experience you have to see for yourself, these guys put on a freakin
awesome show!
After roeVy I stepped outside for some fresh air and by the
time I got back, the floor of the Pavilion was shoulder to shoulder all the way
back to the soundboard and back to the bar, it was insane! There were still
some late arrivals trying to get in the door when Papadosio stormed the stage, luckily
I made my way to the balcony just in time. After getting a few shot from the
balcony I made my way back to the pit and stayed there; no way was I wading
through the sea of people again. It would be the last time I would see Kim, the
balcony, or the soundboard. Originally from Athens, OH, Papadosio took to the
LC stage to the cheers of 2500 fans, and for good reason. The five piece band
that now calls Ashville, NC home still has quite a following in the Buckeye
State and the crowd at the LC Pavilion welcomed the band with open arms.
Without wrapping them into a specific genre (which is impossible) their music
reminds me of a mix between Pink Floyd and Yes with a fresh and inventive sound
that is a pleasure to listen to, especially live. Anthony Thogmartin (Guitar,
Keys, Vocals), Mike Healy (Drums), Rob McConnell Bass, Vocals), Billy Brouse
(Keys), and Sam Brouse (Keys) have a way of getting the audience involved in
the show; whether it’s by dancing, singing, or simply closing their eye and
enjoying the tunes like Bionic Man, By the Light of the Stars, and one of my
favorites, All I Knew off the bands CD entitled Observations. Their songs seem
to connect with the listener in a way that is hard to describe yet leaves you
wanting more. There set was amazing, but nothing could prepare the crowd for
what was to come; the collaboration with the Werks called Werksadosio.
When we walked into the LC Pavilion around 6pm Werksadosio
was in the middle of their sound check and hammering out some last minute
details for their time together on stage. From what I heard then I knew they
were going to blow the roof off the joint. The Werksadosio set began with the
Papadosio hit Polygons off the bands first CD. It was the perfect tune to play
before the countdown to the New Year began. After the confetti fell and a few
champagne toasts the set continued with a cover of Pink Floyd’s Time. The collaboration
between the two bands was flawless with Thogmartin, McConnell, and Rob Chafin
(Drums, Vocals) from The Werks sharing vocal duties. The two bands would get
together later in the show but for now it is time for The Werks.
2011 was a good year for the Werks; with a successful summer
tour that took the band all over the country and the success of the Werk Out Music
Festival, The Werks are one of the hottest bands in the Jamband scene. The New
Year show at the LC Pavilion was kind of a celebration of the bands
accomplishments and the sellout crowd was ready to help the guys bring in 2012
with a bang. The band seemed pumped as well opening their set with the hit Duck
Farm and a new song called OG that freakin rocks, I hope this tune is on the
upcoming CD to be released later this spring. Norman Dimitrouleas (Keys,
Vocals), Chris Houser (Guitar, Vocals), Rob Chafin (Drums, Vocals), and Dino Dimitrouleas
(Bass) had a few surprises in store for the sold-out crowd one was when the
guys invited former Bass player Chuckie Love to the stage to perform the song
Liquid. It was definitely one of the highlights of the show and I thought it
showed a lot of class. It was also cool when the two Bass players embraced in
the middle of the stage for a show of love and mutual respect, it was very
cool.
The set continued with another surprise, Norm doing vocals
on the Rage Against the Machine hit called Killing In the Name. The guys were
right on and Norm blew everyone with a great performance. I venture to say this
won’t be the last time we hear Norm on vocals. The band also did a cover of the
REM song, It’s the End of the World as We Know It as well as the crowd favorite
Destiny. The Werks ended their set with the song Hard to Find but the music
wasn’t over yet. Papadosio came back out on stage for more Werksadosio, this
time including Chuckie Love for the tune 2001. I can’t explain the energy in
that place; I’ve been to many concerts over the past 35 year but only a few
come close to this New Year’s show. It was an amazing night, we had such a great time bringing in New
Year with 2500 friends and four great bands. Thanks to Carma/Attak, roeVy,
Papadosio, and The Werks for allowing to us photograph and video the event and
special thanks to Donald Roof (Tour Manager) and Tom Blessing (Alchemy House)
for allowing us to be a part of this awesome night. We also want to
congratulate The Werks for being named Buckeye Music Magazine’s Artist of the
Month. We hope everyone had a great New Year, I know we did!
2011 Reviews and Interviews 
