Drum roll kicks off Halloweekend

 

Audience members weren’t the only fright-thrilled Halloween-goers at last Friday’s show at Banter Bistro, draped with costumes suited for any rock’n’roll Halloween evening party. My Kick Drum Heart started the beat at 8 p.m. to the packed coffee house at 219 W. Oak St. in Denton, with the show continuing until midnight.

Band members Ryan Smith (Aux Percussion), Matthew Morin (Drums), Bo Aughtry (Bass), Jason Rochester (Guitar), and Brian Lambert (Guitar/Vox), were also dressed in costume for their performance on stage. It was a night of Halloween, coffee and rock.

Lead singer and writer, Lambert, suited up for the night in his zombie costume, stomping and rocking, and strumming and singing along to every note with the rest of the band. Band members were draped in their costumes of choice: Morin, a hot dog suit; Rochester, “Chickity China, the Chinese Chicken;” and Smith, a luchador mask — a professional wrestling mask — and navy fatigues.

Attendees dressed in costume ranged from kids to adults. The melodic, twisting tunes allowed listeners to let go of any “hesitations” (which you might hear in the bands newly released single); its echoing, upbeat patterns, building from verse to chorus, are surely worthy of anyone’s listen.

Natives to Denton, this five-person Denton rock band has made its stamp on the city for two years while remaining true to its own roots. Rochester said that the band is all DIY (do it yourself), and that they are recording, mixing, mastering, and producing its own album. The group was performing for its new single release, “Falling,” and is set to release its first album, “Love in Time of Apocalypse Sexy Party,” in the coming weeks, Rochester elaborated. The record is being produced by Grey Tones Production, Rochester added.

Rochester’s beginning with the band first took flight at Banter, he said. Rochester explained that he first met with Lambert in the coffee shop. The band continues to play around Denton and in other parts of the DFW area.

This year, My Kick Drum Heart decided to throw in a little twist and even show a little spirit of the season. “We decided to dress up. Typically we play in suits. We have a uniform, but we decided to go all out for Halloween,” Rochester said.

The band was playing alongside rocker group 11:40, who took the stage after My Kick Drum Heart and were also dressed in Halloween apparel.

The group typically performs 3-4 times a month, Rochester said. My Kick Drum Heart is currently slated to release its first album in the next few weeks, with its single already available for download free. Its single is available at its Bandcamp profile, http://www.reverbnation.com/mykickdrumheart. Readers can also visit its website at http://www.mykickdrumheart.com.