The straight-up rock ‘n’ roll band Modena Vox hits Columbus tonight – one of four acts presented in the bigJ Entertainment “Break Out” show.
“We’re not pioneering some new rock,” lead singer Anthony “Tony” Timperman said. “We’re not distorted, not all loud and obnoxious. We’re loud and rocking but into the feel of dancing.”
With their melodic guitar strums and consistent drum beats, the band has a sound not unlike The Strokes, but, as evident from the songs “Hard Pressed” and “Leo,” the band also possess a lushness and density to its music that is inviting. They collectively cite groups like The Police, The Smiths and The Cure as influences, and the 1980s are one of the strings that tie the group members’ individual influences together.
These individual influences seem schizophrenic as each band member lists seperate favorites. Drummer Mike Savage cites Stuart Copeland of the Police, and guitarist JJ De Libera is most interested in grunge music. Bassist Thomas Bragg says Flea – of the Red Hot Chili Peppers – made him want to play music, and guitarist Daniel Harris asserts Cream’s “Crossroads” album inspired him to play the guitar. Meanwhile, Timperman falls entirely outside of the band’s sphere of influence, preferring poets like Sylvia Plath and Ezra Pound.
“Mainly what I do derives from poetry,” Timperman said.
Timperman met Harris in 1998 at Ashland University, and shortly after graduation, they moved to Columbus and eventually formed a band.
The band’s name stems from the group’s desires not to have a name that began with ‘the,’ and one that would not pigeon-hole the sound.
“I just started writing down words on paper, words that sounded like poetry,” Savage said. “We’re not The Cars or The Beatles, and we were fairly confident no one else would have the name Modena Vox.”
Modena is an Italian word and vox is Latin.
“We didn’t want the name to be a direct representation of the band,” Savage said. “We liked the way the words sounded.”
Modena Vox’s biggest show has been at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas last March and the group is booked to play May 21st as part of the Cleveland Music Festival, to be held in the Phantasy Theater. The band is also in the process of booking dates in Chicago and New York.
The bandmates have an easy rapport with each other, joking lightly during their practice. Savage and Timperman exchange grins after a beat change in a set of “Leo,” and all members lightly enthuse how they want to “dominate the world.”
“The Newport show is going to be our best show,” Timperman said. “We’re not bragging, but we’ve enjoyed such success – big crowds and great responses. It’s not about anyone talking to press or getting on radio because the response is happening outside of us.”
The band will play alongside of friends Inclusion, Introspect and One7One at 8 p.m. tonight at the Newport.
