Music
Press
My first aural experience with Ramona the Band involved visiting their myspace, and hearing the song “Megalon” as chosen by the randomized play list. The classically acoustic guitar intimately strums the perfect introduction for Dion Vox’s haunting vocals. The nursery rhyme-like melody and guitar paired with a beat sound not unlike the clashing of metal on metal creates an unsettling atmosphere. Vox’s voice left goose bumps on my skin, and my heart pounding. Since first listening twenty minutes ago, I have played “Megalon” at least five times, aching to absorb every element of the music and lyrics.
The second song that popped up on the play list was “Empty Promises”. The song opens with a more electronica rock sound, and no acoustic guitar in sight. Vox’s sultry vocals in this song remind me a great deal of Shirley Manson on downers. While listening to “Empty Promises”, I imagined myself at a dark, smoky club, pressed tightly against a tall, enigmatic mysterioso with cavernous eyes burning a hole through my heart. I can make a personal guarantee that you will feel the same way while listening to this song, or your money back. - The Neave
The last act of the night at the Revival and one of the most intriguing was Ramona The Band, a collaboration between a multi-talented performer calling herself Dion Vox and a veteran record producer named Scobra. The two met during a studio session in L.A. with the Wu Tang Clan. A hook singer ended up passing out after a 14-hour day, so Dion stepped in and knocked Scobra out of his credit-heavy boots. Ramona The Band was born and the two relocated to Seattle where they've been digging into the scene for the past couple months.
If a very specific genie in a lamp allowed me to pick three acts at The Seattle Music Revival, I would choose Kissing Girls, E. Millz and Ramona The Band. Dion Vox has a stage presence honed by her career as an actress in New York and Los Angeles, but the cherry on top is her timeless commitment to elegant theatrics. She wanders the line between seductress and broken ballerina, luxuriating in Scobra's acrid, smart beats and melodies. This is what goth music ought to be, which is to say so much more accessible to a larger audience without losing its decidedly artsy bent.
Submitted by msarko on Tue, 09/29/2009 - 4:56pm
http://seattleconcerts.com/news/review-seattle-music-revival-part-two - SeattleConcerts.com
I purchased Ramona The Band's EP after seeing them play live down here in LA. The show itself was off the hook. Dion Vox (the lead singer) gave an intense and spell-binding performance that made the 35 minute set feel like an instant. In short, she left me wanting more.
When I bought the EP, I wasn't sure if the 5 songs were going to do anything like recreate the live set that I had just seen. So on my way home from the club, I popped it into my car's CD player to check it out. It opened with a song that I hadn't heard before, kinda down-tempo sounding. Once I let myself get caught up by it, the album rolled forward from song to song like a spooky storybook or fairy tale. Cool transitions between songs, and I don't want to ruin any surprises... but there are more than 5 songs on there...
In short, I felt like I got more than my money's worth, and now I'm checking to see when they play live next.
Word from the wise though, if you buy their songs individually as downloads, you might loose some of the story-like effect of how the whole album was arranged. This is more of one of those bands that you want to start with the first song, push play, and let it go. - DVus
author: Britt Warner
In the midst of this digital age, I haven't purchased a hardcopy album in about five years. The seductive originality of Ramona The Band inspired me to break that streak, and boy, was it worth it. The transcendently brilliant lyrics and alluring vocals of Dion Vox will get under your skin; the captivating arrangements of Scobra will hypnotize your body and mind; the combination of the two, collaboratively forming RTB, is a powerhouse team of unparalleled genius. This EP serves as a brilliant teaser preceding the full-length album that is said to be in the works...and I'll be first in line to buy it! - CD Baby Customer Reviews
Discography
Ramona The Band: EP
Released Dec. 27th, 2008
Free streaming at:
http://www.myspace.com/ramonatheband
Examples of recent airplay:
6/30/09
http://latalkradio.com
LA Talk Radio | Music Highway with Sheena Metal
6/8/09
http://latalkradio.com
LA Talk Radio | Music Highway with Sheena Metal
5/29/09
http://www.latalkradio...
LA Talk Radio | Music Highway with Sheena Metal
Photos
Bio
Front woman Dion Vox was born and raised in Seattle's historic OK
Hotel Cafe and Nightclub. She began her stage career at age one when she sang for the mic check. Scobra played and produced in various cities and towns all across the U.S. before settling in Los Angeles. He soon found himself producing in the underground hip hop scene, which lead to works with artists such as AWOL one and Mickey Avalon.
Dion Vox and Scobra met at a cafe on a cloudy Hollywood afternoon. Scobra then invited Dion to attend Leila Steinberg's 'The Microphone Sessions'. Dion began attending 'Mic Sessions' and writing materials that she hoped would someday be performed. Six months later in Scobra's studio Dion got her chance, when she was asked to fill in for the chorus of another artist's song. The success of that event catalyzed Dion and Scobra to begin writing and recording tracks together and the forming of Ramona The Band soon followed.
Since then, RTB tracks and performances can be found in the film 'Tupac Assassination Part II', on the series Leila Steinberg's 'The Microphone Sessions', and heard in the 2009 UN conference on racism held in Amsterdam. Dion and Scobra have also collaborated with the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan Killa Beez, Def Poet Pat's Justice, Mac Blu,and Wyne Glizzy.
As of September 2009 the duo moved opperations up the Seattle,
Wa. where they are currently finishing their first full length album.
Links
