Roustabout! has been a recurring feature in The Minor White's musical journey, since the band has appeared on the bill more than a dozen times in just a couple years.
And so, it's only right the band would choose the weekly music event as the spot to celebrate the recent release of its first full-length record, Old Theatrics. The alternative-folk quintet will play at 10 tonight at Bar Bleu. Cover charge for the over-21 show is $3.
The record was released last month by Scranton's Prairie Queen Records. The band had two release parties for the album in Scranton and will continue to promote it over Thanksgiving break with tour stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Pittsburgh.
The group consists of childhood friends who grew up in Scranton: two sets of brothers, Roy and Kevin Williams and Ian and Shane O'Hara, and the odd man out, guitarist Kyle Wall. Wall is also a Collegian TV reporter. The band is currently based in both Scranton and State College because two of its members are Penn State students, pending graduation in the spring.
"All of these guys are very talented musicians," Roustabout! promoter Jesse Ruegg said. "I don't know if there's something in the water up in Scranton."
Ruegg said this show will retain the normal Roustabout! format with DJ sets before and after the band. The difference, he said, is the new album will be available for purchase at the show for the first time in State College. Because of his long working relationship with the band, Ruegg got an advance copy of the album and said he enjoyed the results.
"It has a warm sound to it that harkens back to '60s and '70s analog recordings," Ruegg said. "The use of old equipment definitely comes through."
Friends and colleagues Mike Quinn of fellow Scranton band And the Moneynotes and Nick Krill of The Spinto Band made it all possible. At Miner Street Studios in Philadelphia, Quinn did the vocal recording and Krill served as producer and mixer.
Kevin Williams, The Minor White's keyboardist and vocalist, said Old Theatrics was wholly more collaborative than its past recordings. For the band's 2007 Daily Vacation EP, Kevin Williams said his singer/songwriter brother Roy, who is also the pianist for And the Moneynotes, wrote most of the songs and the other members "put the pieces to them" with overdubs, samples and noise tracks.
"As opposed to the first album, the writing was more collective and more theme oriented," Kevin Williams said.
Kevin Williams said the band strived for authenticity in recording by removing any synthesizers or pedals to make it easier to recreate live.
"The main thing is this album is as raw as it can be and our live show is as close to the album as possible," Kevin Williams said. "What you hear is what you get."
Ruegg said Kevin and Roy Williams demonstrate proficiency for powerful vocal harmony.
"I have to wonder if that has something to do with them having some sort of brotherly connection," Ruegg said.
Kevin Williams said Roustabout! has been an excellent opportunity for his band and other Scranton bands like And the Moneynotes.
"They have a music-appreciating and music-listening crowd," Kevin Williams said. "People were there to hear you. For a band like us, that's key. People are there to listen."
