LOCAL BANDS WORTH A LISTEN

aBetter Yesterday

This great emo band is fronted by my good friend Greg Meyer (who is also the middle son of St. Barbara's Director of Religious Education).  In 2004 they won the Battle of the Bands at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and opened up for Yellowcard when they played the IUP campus.  In the spring of 2005 they were in the Pittsburgh's Graffiti Rock Challenge were they SHOULD have won their quarterfinal round; unfortunately the judges were possessed by musically-challenged demons and gave the nod to a swing band. Imagine that.  A swing band!  In 2005 no less .

WEBSITE: http://www.abetteryesterday.com/
TO LISTEN: http://www.purevolume.com/abetteryesterdaypa/music

Running from Romance

Another awesome emo band, Running from Romance is a group of very talented Penn-Trafford High School students, several of whom are parishioners at St. Barbara.  One of them is even an altar server.  (Hope you don't mind me sharing that info Cory!)  On 14 April 2005 the guitarist for the band, Matt Fischerkeller, passed away in his sleep at the far-too-young age of 16.  The extremely difficult task of celebrating his funeral Mass fell to me.  It was a privilege to have known this fine young man and a true, albeit unbearably sad, honour to have been the one to perform the rites of his passage into Eternal Life.  "May angels lead you in," Matt .

WEBSITE:  http://www.purevolume.com/runningfromromance    
TO LISTEN:  http://www.purevolume.com/runningfromromance/music

The Berlin Project

I have seen The Berlin Project live many times and have thoroughly enjoyed them; they always put on a great show.  They have been a round for quite a few years now and I guess they could be considered the "grandfathers" of the current PT (Penn-Trafford) band scene.

WEBSITE:http://www.berlinproject.com/
TO LISTEN:  http://www.purevolume.com/theberlinproject/music

Clearview

I first heard Clearview when they played one of the St. Barbara youth group's Coffee Houses.  One of its members, Dan Garrighan, is the brother of John Garrighan, a founding member of The Berlin Project. 

WEBSITE: http://www.clearviewkills.com/
TO LISTEN:  http://www.purevolume.com/clearview/music

Operation Super-Catch
Operation Super-Catch is the remnant of the popular local ska band In Like Flint.  Several St. Barbara parishioners are members of the band, including the drummer Zack Orthen, the son of the Youth Minister.  I have yet to see them live (although I saw their forerunner on numerous occasions) but I really love their CD.  They have a great sound . and the moog is FANTASTIC!

WEBSITE:  http://www.purevolume.com/operationsupercatch
TO LISTEN:  http://www.purevolume.com/operationsupercatch/music