Unsigned Bands: U-Melt

U-Melt

For all you heads out there wondering when the next big thing will hit the scene, all the while cursing a certain currently defunct band for leaving you with a mere hodgepodge of filler acts to pass the time, I’ve got some good news.

Not too long ago, I found myself at a moe. concert.  After a relatively raucous yet ultimately underwhelming evening with the gentlemen from upstate, I left the venue desirous of further jamming.  Drifting along, in need of that live music fix, I happened upon an after show bash courtesy of U-Melt. At just $10 it seemed worth the risk.  It was.  By the end of the first virtuosic, funk-infused dance groove, I was convinced that the best band I had seen that evening was the one that didn’t draw 4,000 people.

The electric excitement of the crowd in that claustrophobia-inducingly-diminutive packed-to-capacity bar and the overall sense of fun and improvisation of the show seemed reminiscent of the days when that currently defunct band took the stage at the - now long since defunct - New York City hippie hotspot, Wetlands. 

Grandiose comparisons to acts of yesteryear aside, U-Melt is a highly skilled jamband capable of effectively wielding different styles to suit different songs.  As a band they appear fearless in their musical explorations both in composition and live extemporaneous jamming.  Additionally, they don’t shy away from a good old fashion cover tune for a change of pace – trying on Pink Floyd, The Beatles and even Huey Lewis and the News – or sneaking in a teaser to keep you on your toes. 

U-melt is building a fan base through touring, converting crowds from coast to coast with stellar shows and marathon late night sets, which have lasted as long as seven hours. Having performed about 300 shows over a three-year stretch, this is a band that is always on the road and getting tighter by the day.

Their debut album, The Unbelievable Meltdown, was released to critical acclaim in the summer of 2004.  With the band headed back to the studio, a highly anticipated sophomore effort should be released this fall.  The band is: Adam Bendy (Bass, Vocals), Zac Lasher (Keyboards, Synthesizers & Vocals), George Miller (Drums & Vocals) and Rob Salzer (Guitar & Vocals).  You might want to check U-Melt out while you can still see them for $10.

Visit U-Melt at:

www.umelt.com

www.myspace.com/umelt

Click here to submit your favorite unsigned band.