Local band gets it right with debut
After over half a decade together and numerous lineup changes, the members of Cleveland rock act Ohio Sky — Vinny DiFranco (vocals, guitar), Michael Bashur (guitar), Eric Bambic (drums), Patrick Finegan (keys, synth) and Ellsworth Turner (bass) — finally feel as though they got it right with the group’s debut full-length effort Curses.
Recorded at downtown studio Ante Up, the album may have yielded cohesive results but it wasn’t without some level of drama.
“When we were recording we tried both Ante Up studios they have available but we weren’t happy with how the drums sounded,” said DiFranco, 29, a Willoughby native and Tremont resident. “We kept trying to explain what we wanted. [Producer] Michael Seifert said he had an idea so we broke into a room that was connected to their building. We took the hinges off the door and snuck into this big abandoned warehouse. It’s a 3,000 square-foot room so it has a real big huge sound. It was kind of like a quick experiment but it was exactly what we were looking for. Sonically it marks quite a bit of growth for us up to this point.”
Stylistically speaking, the band cites classic rock influences (the Beatles and Pink Floyd) but plays a modern rock, spacey sound built around diversity. New tracks that define this mindset include the psychedelic opening tune “Van Gogh,” the aggravated title track and the Fab Four-esque “Take Me Back.”
Overall, DiFranco said Ohio Sky’s varied but loud rock sound allows the quintet to play with anyone. This includes sharing bills with Cleveland’s nationally renowned metal act Chimaira or opening for Connecticut emo band Hot Rod Circuit Wed 11/16 at the Grog Shop. As far as its place in the Northeast Ohio music scene, the band isn’t concerned.
“It’s always been an interesting city for us because we don’t quite fit in with anything that’s really going on here,” DiFranco said. “Cleveland is a real heavy metal scene and there’s a popping indie scene. We kind of get lost in the middle of that but we got a lot of respect from everybody we work with. We try not to pay too much attention to what’s going on around here. We try to travel as much as possible and just keep growing as a band. That’s the best we can do.”
Already the act is thinking ahead. Not only is DiFranco obsessed with adding more material to the Ohio Sky catalog, including recording a new EP in January, but also touring outside of the Rock Hall City as much as possible. He believes such optimism is a product of finally getting the band lineup right.
“It feels really good now,” DiFranco said. “The energy is right, everybody’s mindset is right, and everybody’s musical tastes are all on the same page. That’s something I’ve never been able to find in any other band. This finally feels cohesive.”
[Pictured – L to R: Eric Bambic, Mike Bashur, Vince DiFranco, Elsworth Turner, Patrick Finegan.]
Ohio Sky opens for Hot Rod Circuit at 7PM on Wed 11/16 at the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights. Cartel and Smoke Signals are also on bill. Tickets are $14 ADV/$16 DOS. Call 216-321-5588. http://OhioSkyMusic.com.
Freelance writer John Benson spends most of his time writing for various papers throughout Northeast Ohio.
When he’s not writing about music or entertainment, he can be found coaching his two boys in basketball, football and baseball or watching movies with his lovely wife, Maria. John also occasionally writes for CoolCleveland.com.