Driven Far Off

The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.

Rookie Of The Year/Eye Alaska Tour Dates

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Rookie Of The Year, Eye Alaska and and Disco Curtis will be touring together in April.

Dates:

4/8 6:30 PM: Oz Cafe- Wichita, KS (Adv $8.00/ DOS $10.00)
4/9 6:30 PM: Jackpot Music Hall- Lawrence, KS (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/10 6:00PM: Station 4- St. Paul, MN (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/11 6:30 PM: The New Loft- Madison, WI ($10.00)
4/12 6:00 PM: The Lighthouse- Frankfort, IL (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/13 6:30 PM: The MixTape- Grand Rapids, MI (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/14 6:30 PM: Pike Room @ The Crofoot- Pontiac, MI (Adv $13.00/ DOS $15.00)
4/15 6:00 PM: Smiling Moose- Pittsburgh, PA (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/16 6:30 PM: Hangar 84- Vineland, NJ ($10.00)
4/17 6:30 PM: Skate High- Virginia Beach, VA (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/18 5:30 PM: The Harmony Grange Hall- Wilmington, DE (Adv $8.00/ DOS $10.00)
4/19 6:30 PM: Adona Music- Harrisonburg, VA (Adv $8.00/ DOS $10.00)
4/20 6:00 PM: The Eldolyn Terrace- Altoona, PA ($8.00)
4/22 6:00 PM: Rocko’s- Manchester, NH (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/23 6:20 PM: Championship- Lemoyne, PA (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/24 7:00 PM: Webster Theatre Underground- Hartford, CT (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/25 6:30 PM: Polaris- Philadelphia, PA (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/27 6:30 PM: The Quarter- Baltimore, MD (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)
4/29 6:00 PM: Eleanor Rigby’s- Jermyn, PA (Adv $10.00/ DOS $12.00)

Secondhand Serenade Announce New Tour

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Secondhand Serenade has announced a new North American tour with Meg & Dia, White Tie Affair and Rookie of the Year opening on all US dates, while Meg & Dia and label mates Everlea opening in Canada. See all tour dates below.

Tour Dates

Dec 19 ““ Honolulu, HI @ Pipeline Cafe
Jan 16 ““ Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues *
Jan 17 ““ Sparks, NV @ New Oasis *
Jan 18 ““ Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk *
Jan 20 ““ Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore #
Jan 21 ““ Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory *
Jan 22 ““ Calgary, ALB @ The Warehouse #
Jan 23 ““ Edmonton, ALB @ Starlite Room #
Jan 25 ““ Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre #
Jan 26 ““ Fargo, ND @ The Venue *
Jan 27 ““ Sioux Falls, SD @ Ramkota Exhibit Hall *
Jan 29 ““ Big Rapids, MI @ Ferris State University *
Jan 31 ““ Indianapolis, IN @ Univ. of Indianapolis – FREE SHOW *
Feb 3 ““ Toronto, ON @ Mod Club #
Feb 5 ““ South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground *
Feb 6 ““ Providence, RI @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel *
Feb 7 ““ Portland, ME @ The Station *
Feb 8 ““ New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place *
* with Meg & Dia, White Tie Affair, Rookie Of The Year
# with Meg & Dia, Everlea

Rory Get New Website

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Rory has unleashed a new website to compliment their new full-length album, Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re Up To No Good, Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re Up To No Good, out today. The band will also soon be embarking on the â┚¬Ã…”I Am 111 Tourâ┚¬? with labelmates This Day & Age, Rookie Of The Year, and Inkwell.

I Am 111 Tour

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This Day & Age will be hitting the road in support of their new record The Bell & The Hammer, out October 10th on One Eleven/East West. Theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll be on the road for the rest of September with Amber Pacific followed by a headlining stint on the â┚¬Ã…”I Am 111â┚¬? tour which will feature four One Eleven/East West bands! TD&A, Rookie Of The Year, Inkwell and Rory.

Confirmed Dates w/Amber Pacific:

9/6/06 Norfolk, VA The Norva
9/7/06 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
9/8/06 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
9/9/06 Orlando, FL Backbooth
9/10/06 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
9/12/06 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
9/13/06 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room
9/15/06 Memphis, TN The Complex
9/16/06 Dallas, TX The Door
9/17/06 Pharr, TX Pharr Int. Convention Ctr.
9/18/06 Houston, TX Meridian
9/19/06 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
9/21/06 Little Rock, AR Vino’s
9/23/06 Akron, OH The Orange Street
9/27/06 York, PA Spart’s Den – York College

Confirmed Headlining Dates on the â┚¬Ã‹Å“I Am 111â┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ Tour w/Rookie of the Year, Inkwell & Rory:

OCT 5 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 6 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 7 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen 5:00PM All Ages
OCT 9 Madison, WI @ The Journey Music 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 10 Minneapolis, MN @ Ascott Room 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 12 Kansas City, MO @ The Journey Music 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 13 St Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl 7:30PM All Ages
OCT 14 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 15 Joplin, MO @ The Foundry 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 17 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 19 Gainesville, FL @ 1982 Bar 7:45PM All Ages
OCT 20 West Palm Beach, FL @ Ray’s Downtown Blues All Ages
OCT 21 Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 22 Tallahassee, FL @ The Beta Bar 7:30PM All Ages
OCT 24 Augusta, GA @ Sector 7G 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 25 Fayettville, NC @ Dakota’s 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 26 Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar 6:30PM All Ages
OCT 27 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theatre 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 28 South Hackensack, NJ @ School of Rock 6:30PM All Ages
OCT 29 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star 7:00PM All Ages
NOV 01 Hartford, CT @ Webster Underground 6:00PM All Ages
NOV 02 Amityville, NY @ Village Pub South 5:30PM All Ages
NOV 03 Albany, NY @ Valentine’s 7:00PM All Ages
NOV 04 Buffalo, NY @ Club Infinity 7:00PM All Ages

Rookie Of The Year – The Goodnight Moon

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Rookie of the Year

Artist: Rookie Of The Year
Album: The Goodnight Moon
Label: One Eleven Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 11, 2006

Overall: 8.3
Music: 8.2
Lyrics: 8.0
Production: 8.4

Rookie of the Year; it would be easy to write them off as just another acoustic band, put their cd at the bottom of the pile and forget about them…that is, if you don’t listen to it first. The band, originally started as a solo project, has now released its full band debut, ‘The Goodnight Moon.’ Currently touring with acts like Hit The Lights, Dave Melillo and many other notables, they are steadily building a substantial fanbase and it’s easy to figure out why.

Releasing single tracks up until the release date as well as a full preview of the album built my excitement for this record from the first time I heard the demos. After an intro track, ROTY chose the perfect lead off song in ‘Poison Like Your Own.’ Brightly toned electric guitars hover above a slightly produced acoustic, Ryan and Mike’s vocals complement each other with impeccable precision.

‘Silhouettes’ follows with a slower but balancing pace, but If I had one complaint about this record it is evident in this track. I am a big fan of drums, I feel like the drums fade into the background of this record and never effectively push the music. Putting that aside, let’s fast forward to track six, ‘Pop Destroyed The Scene.’

I told the band this myself, this track sounds exactly like it belongs on the Backstreet Boys most recent album. Response? ‘Great! I love the Backstreet Boys.’ Well, I won’t lie, I do too just as I do this song! It is perfectly produced as a straightforward soundtrack to summer pop song. The chorus sticks in my head, the bridge borders LFO-style rap, and the melodies you’ll sing out loud for days. This song epitomizes my opinion of this record.

While there is always room for improvement, Rookie Of The Year has constructed a CD that will stay in my car all summer long. They have all the assets to be one of the next big bands in the pop-rock scene. The wait for this record was well worth it, pick it up as soon as you can.

Track Listing
1. The Goodnight Moon
2. Poison Like Your Own
3. Silhouettes (All Eyes Above)
4. Sign of Her Glory
5. Liars and Battlelines
6. Pop Destroyed the Scene
7. The Blue Roses
8. Life, Fall Fast Now
9. Set The Sails, Red Beret
10. The Weekend
11. Enjoy This Drive
12. Having To Let Go