Benvenue

BENVENUE This was the toughest category because we heard so many great new bands in 2010, but we have agreed that this band showed the most promise to do something big in 2011. - REAL ROCK REPORT

San Francisco based Benvenue debut EP (that would be extended play people, because there are really only eight songs out of 11 tracks) Jean Elizabeth at its best moments sounds like the much underrated Samiam (Samiam was pre Foo Fighters… ya dig)? With some nice touches of Living Colour thanks to the fantastic Bass player Mr. Tommy Aldo Sonin. Calling Benvenue metal in any capacity does them and the metal community a disservice, they are alternative hard rock… nuff said on that deal. There are some big nasty guitar hooks on some of the tracks but where Sid Slater really shines on guitar is on the more moody psychedelic meandering he peppers this record with. Moon on drums, sounds nothing like Keith Moon so don’t worry. Moon is good with this unit because he has a nice post punk feel that gives this music a nice tight hit. Francis Blay is the singer and he is very strong and very good. Most importantly for me is I really get the sense that Blay and the rest of Benvenue get actual joy from the music they play it’s very apparent on these recordings and I am looking forward to catching these kids live if I get the chance. If you wan’t a really good intro to this new band go to I-tunes and buy Here’s To You, 21/8, No Way, She Did and Come with me (for a little of the mellow after the rock storm). She Did is the obvious single but for my money it’s all about No Way. No way? Way. In truth Jean Elizabeth is very well produced, however I think this is one of the few bands I have heard in the last few years that could carry off the super produced record. The only slight misstep for me is the kinda boring acoustic version of Dark Streets, I like acoustic songs but there has to be a point to them and this one doesn’t go anywhere and the production is blah. I think these guys have a really good shot of building a fan base. I really like this band and I will be keeping tabs on them. What’s up with the bay area putting out the best music in 2010?
3.5 (out of 5)
J.S.L. - RealRockReport.com

Benvenue slide a little jazz and funk into propulsive hard rock on their debut EP, Jean Elizabeth.

It's a one-two punch of guitars, drums, bass, and vocals that's pummeling and potent. It's also stylistically the NorCal quartet's alone. While heavy music trends endlessly ebb and flow, Benvenue wave the flag for when metal was just a little more daring and experimental. You'll remember the name Jean Elizabeth after one listen to Benvenue…

Benvenue frontman Francis Blay spoke to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview about Jean Elizabeth, sneaking jazz influences into their songs, and so much more.

Be sure to catch Benvenue live at The Roxy on Friday February 25 with Warner Drive!

Did you have one vision for the EP as a whole, or did it come together song by song?

After it's done, you'd always like to say you had a complete vision of what you wanted to put out, but that was definitely not the case [Laughs]. Some of the songs that Sid [Slater, guitar] and I wrote are almost three or four years old. We just had to get some of them on the EP, so that's what we did. We had three new songs, but we'd actually made a lot of the other songs in college. It turned out pretty well. The new songs were "No Way," "21/8," and "Be Your Own." "She Did" was an old song. It's funny because Sid and I both went to Berkeley. We were just a couple of students trying to write some songs. After three years, we had the opportunity to go in the studio. Mostly, it was just Sid and I that had these ideas. Sid had a lot of rock influences, and I like jazz. I think you can hear that in the songs we made. For the most part, people have been relating to the songs and digging them, which is great!

Where does that jazz influence shine through the most?

In the bridge of "21/8," there's a part Sid thought about that had a little bit of a jazz influence. The whole EP covers so many influences though—from jazz to hip hop. Tommy Aldo Sonin [bass] has been playing jazz for almost 20 years. That ultimately influences the music a lot.

Jazz has a free form intensity similar to hard rock.

Absolutely! Tommy joined the band eight months ago, and it's helped our music tremendously because he's so on the spot. If we want to jam, he can play anything off the top of his head. It's pretty amazing how he's able to do that.

What's the story behind "No Way?"

That's actually my favorite song on the EP! It was written in Los Angeles about two-and-a-half years ago when Sid and I were living down there. Sid had gone through a really bad breakup. I also related it to my move back to Northern California. The verses are open, and the chorus is strong. I enjoy playing it live. I love this song! It started with Sid's breakup, and we took it from there. It's basically about the breakup. Sid had a couple ideas of what he was feeling. I basically heard what he had to say and related them to some of the things I was going through. I sat down and started writing a bunch of the lyrics, and it came out. I put down what we both wanted to say.

Which artists shaped you?

I've always been a huge fan of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. There's something about Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell's voices. I really enjoy that style of music. The '90s alternative grunge era influenced me a lot. Growing up, my dad's Cuban, so there's a lot of salsa influence. My mom was totally into Rod Stewart growing up too. I'd say my top two influences are Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. You can't go wrong with that at all.

How do you stand out in this scene?

A lot of bands are copying each other these days. It's hard because you hear something you like and you want to play it. Genuinely, we write music that we like and we feel doesn't sound like anybody else. I don't think our music sounds like what's going on right now. Hopefully, people dig it.

Where do you typically draw from lyrically?

I'm a firefighter, and that's my full-time job. Obviously, with my job, you see a lot of things that aren't the best things to see every day. For me, since I live by myself, writing is a way for me to get some things off my chest. I definitely try to put that into some of the songs that have been written. There are good and bad things. I try to express a lot of the things I'm experiencing through the music.

If you were to compare the EP to a movie or a combination of movies, what would you compare it to?

That's a great question…let me think. I'm trying to compare it to one of my favorite movies. I would say Garden State, but that's a little soft. I feel like it doesn't have anything too harsh [Laughs]. I'll go with that though. The reason I say that is that movie has so many ups and downs with triumph, love, and death. For us writing this album it was like that. We had so many ups and downs. There was a time when our bass player went to play for the San Diego Chargers, and we thought we weren't going to finish it. Then he came back, - ARTISTDIRECT.COM

On a bill featuring bands like Bolt Action Thrill, Awaken The Empire, and Circus Junkies, NoCal alternative hard rock band Benvenue (pronounced “Ben-venoo”) played a blistering short and sweet six-song set at The Roxy last night in West Hollywood. Named after a street from their beloved hometown of Berkeley, vocalist Francis Blay, bass player Tommy Sonin, drummer Moon, and guitarist Sid Slater came out guns-a-blazing with a high-powered performance featuring songs from their 2010 debut album Jean Elizabeth.

With a sound reminiscent of Living Color, mixed with the aggressiveness of Alice In Chains, and the melodic edge of Incubus, Benvenue hit the stage with everything they got. By the second (and best) song of the night, “21/8,” the band truly shined with a huge sound that stretched above and beyond the small confines of the Roxy. This was followed by another very strong song, “Here’s To You”...which gave wild man bassist Tommy Sonin plenty of opportunities to crouch down and bang his head and body as hard as possible.

“No Way” came next...a song with a strong dynamic and a sweeping chorus. Benvenue played this perfectly, a well as the next song...”On My Way.” With time running out for the next band to go on, Benvenue only had the chance to play one more song...the leading track from the Jean Elizabeth album...”She Did.” Before the crowd knew what hit ‘em, the curtain came down and the show was over.

I was very impressed with the way the Jean Elizabeth songs sounded in concert. As good as that album is, its songs don’t really come alive until you’ve heard them on stage. Benvenue is a really exciting live band. I actually felt the stage shaking when Moon pounded those drums, Sid Slater leaped off the ground with his guitar, and Francis Blay prowled the boards with his commanding presence. Six songs were not enough for me. I wanted more, much more... - ocreloaded.com

Berkeley, CA rockers BENVENUE stormed onto The Sunset Strip, pounding out a short but fierce, energetic set Friday night (2/25) at The Roxy Theatre. Seamlessly blending rock, metal, and alternative with crunching guitars and soaring vocals, fans–including Green Bay Packers quarterback and Super Bowl 2011 MVP Aaron Rodgers–crowded in to hear tracks off the band’s 2010 self-released, critically-praised EP, Jean Elizabeth.
OCReloaded.com’s Paul Lyons was there to take in the scene: “NoCal alternative hard rock band Benvenue played a blistering short and sweet six-song set…[the band] came out guns-a-blazing with a high-powered performancefeaturing songs from their 2010 debut album Jean Elizabeth. With a sound reminiscent of Living Color, mixed with theaggressiveness of Alice In Chains, and the melodic edge of Incubus, Benvenue hit the stage with everything they got…Benvenue is a really exciting live band. I actually felt the stage shaking when Moon pounded those drums, Sid Slater leaped off the ground with his guitar, and Francis Blay prowled the boards with his commanding presence. Six songs were not enough for me.” (2/26/11)
Additionally, Ed Hannigan of LifeAbove11.com wrote, “Tight, bluesy with a bit of jazzy alternative metal, a driving bass, and even then a bit heavier riffs then you thought, Benvenue brought their unique sound to the Sunset Strip Friday night…The deeply layered sound that Benvenue seems to have adopted has so much more life in it, so much more depth that most bands that dare go as heavy as Benvenue does…One could pick up some Rage Against The Machine in their sound, a bit of Red Hot Chilli Peppers and some very early Pearl Jam thrown in there…[they] have not forgotten that guitars matter, that a clean slick bass line is never a bad thing, and that when you can rock the Roxy, your doing something right. Well done, boys, well done.” (2/28/11)
FRANCIS BLAY (vocals), SID SLATER (guitar, vocals), TOMMY ALDO SONIN (bass) and MOON (drums) will return to Los Angeles on Friday, April 8 for another high-energy show at The Viper Room. Check out a video of a recent performance at The Mint in Los Angeles here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FuFiLFbaHs.
Jean Elizabeth–released October 5, 2010–includes the first single “She Did”–and two newer songs, “No Way” and “Be Your Own.” “No Way,” is a vortex of emotions, deep, dark and angry. Written during a break-up, the rollercoaster of emotions SLATER felt was shifted into song. The weighty intro captures you immediately and glides you into the melodic guitar, combined into a semi-mysterious, ethereal way of painting feelings as a scene. With “Be Your Own,” BENVENUEbrings out their heavy metal side with hard-hitting, high-energy throughout. This has quickly become a fan favorite at shows and one of BENVENUE’s favorite tracks to perform live.
“Benvenue slide a little jazz and funk into propulsive hard rock on their debut EP, Jean Elizabeth, noted Rick Florino ofArtistDirect.com. “It’s a one-two punch of guitars, drums, bass, and vocals that’s pummeling and potent. It’s also stylistically the NorCal quartet’s alone. While heavy music trends endlessly ebb and flow, Benvenue wave the flag for when metal was just a little more daring and experimental. You’ll remember the name Jean Elizabeth after one listen toBenvenue…”
http://www.benvenueband.com
http://www.myspace.com/benvenue
http://twitter.com/benvenueband
http://www.facebook.com/BenvenueMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/BenvenueTV - THEROCKTRIBUNE.COM

Benvenue, Jean Elizabeth. The four members of Berkeley's Benvenue look too young to have been operating in the late Eighties or early Nineties, but their music accurately replicates the hard rock of that era. They have all the right accoutrements, from bellowy vocals, to flannel shirts, to airy, melodic guitar lines. If you're a sucker for that stuff, then "On My Way" is the apex of this EP. (self) - eastbayexpress.com

In a recent live review from a performance at Los Angeles’ Viper Room, Erik Cameron of MetalAssault.com raved, “These alternative metallers showed Los Angeles a performance not to forget. This band definitely had a great deal of integrity going on in their music, combining elements such as Incubus with real melodic tones, chords and hard heavy riffs similar to Rage Against The Machine. Benvenue don’t care for the local trends and their creative efforts are extremely rare and powerful…you can appreciate the tremendous musicianship and professionalism this band maintains, and from what we could say, these guys will go far. Their performance was really amazing.” (8/4/10)

The Berkeley quartet will beat The Mint in Los Angeles this Saturday; don’t miss it! Also, check out our interview with Syd from the band. - CWGMAGAZINE.COM

From San Francisco, Northern CA, hard rock quartet BENVENUE includes Francis Blay (Vocals), Sid Slater (Guitar, Vocals), Tommy Aldo Sonin (Bass) and Moon (Drums). In trying to define their style you realize that there really is no classic rock mold in which they fit, and this is what makes BENVENUE such a rare band with influences in hip-hop, rock, alternative, jazz and metal.

Their debut EP entitled ‘Jean Elizabeth’ was released on October 5th to wide appeal with a sound completely unique to the band, yet reminiscent of the classic metal days of ‘Rage Against the Machine’ and ‘Incubus’. Their propelling, seamless sound is hard-hitting with an undeniably unique blend of pure rock, hard metal, and a dash of alternative, with songs She Did and Be Your Own. Hooking you in with addictive rhythms, the band brings out their heavy metal side with a hard-hitting, high-energy lead by the colossal voice of Blay in conjunction with the addition of Slater’s poignant vocals and guitar work, making this modern metal band one to add to your music collection.

The new EP reflects the maturity and growth of the band that Blay says is an exciting adventure that plays into many of their lives today. “We went through the process of trying to make songs that are meaningful to oneself, but also hopefully touch every person that listens. It's amazing how you can write a song three years ago and it can still paint a picture of things you are going through now in life. The power of music and lyrics can take you to a point in life you want to forget, but reminds you of how far you have come.”

The EP includes four previously available tracks that have been re-recorded and mixed. Every note is carefully thought out and no detail is neglected. With Moon’s emotive drum work in tandem with Sonin’s impeccable bass as the foundation of the gripping music that is BENVENUE, they have revolutionized modern metal. Their sound has been described as an “undeniably fresh perspective on modern alternative metal.” Their songs each include a vortex of emotions, some of which can even be described as deep, dark and angry. Written about the rollercoaster of emotions that we all experience in this life, you are immediately drawn into their music with their personal semi-mysterious, ethereal way of transferring feelings into song.

The band came together back in their college days in Berkeley when Blay and Slater played college football together. Though they excelled on the field, they shared a drive and a passion to make a profession out of their love of music. Playing an informal session in Moon's garage one day in 2008, the creative juices flowed and BENVENUE was born on the spot. Per Blay, “When we started playing, the chemistry was instantaneous. During that first session, we wrote two songs. Everything came together pretty easily after only a couple hours, and then those songs took their own little paths." This first day was the day they laid the framework for the songs On My Way and Dark Streets.

Of their eclectic sound, Blay says, "It gets very heavy at times, but it's also extremely catchy due to Slater's guitars. People can hear bits and pieces of rock, alternative and metal in what we do." And per Slater, "It's somewhat melodic hard rock, but there are a lot of different aspects to it. It encompasses such a wide range. We bring in everything we like."

Dana Feldman - What does the name BENVENUE mean and how did you come up with it?

Sid Slater - As best as we can guess, it means 'welcome' in some loose derivation from Latin. Fran and I came up with it in our college days and it just kinda stuck. Basically we just liked the way it sounded. I'm pretty sure there were a few bottles of wine and some hookah involved.

DF - Being from Berkeley, SF, can you please as you see it, tell me the difference between the Northern and Southern CA music scenes/vibes?

SS - Given that it's home to a multitude of labels, management companies, publishers, etc., it's natural that Southern CA has a vibrant music/rock scene, and we've played some great shows down there in front of some very receptive and excited fans. The Nor Cal scene doesn't seem to be quite as large or competitive. We're able to have close relationships with a number of bands up here, and we really enjoy having a close-knit scene to be a part of. Hopefully we can take that and be a part of a rock revival here in the upper half of the state.

DF - Your music has been described as hard rock/modern metal. How would you describe your sound/style?

SS - We've also heard alternative hard rock and melodic hard rock. We play rock. It definitely falls on the heavier side of the spectrum, but whenever we try to classify it, it seems we either offend someone or alienate them. So we just try not to classify it. We don’t really think about it when we write it, we’re just in the moment.

DF - What was the inspiration behind your new self-released EP, 'Jean Elizabeth'? - EXAMINER.COM

Benvenue is a hard rocking quartet from the Bay area that began with lead singer Francis Blay and guitarist Sid Slater on the football field of the University of California Berkeley. The group recently released an eleven track album entitled Jean Elizabeth and plans to play a show in Los Angeles later this week, but aside from that the foursome is anything but typical fame-hungry musician fare. I caught up with lead singer Francis this evening on the phone, and he gave me an inside look at Benvenue's humble origins and goals.

Laurel Kathleen: You played football with your guitar player Sid in college. When did you start playing music together?

Francis Blay: You know, it was kind of crazy how it all happened. Sid and I played the same position, linebacker, at Cal. I’ve always been interested in rock music and I knew Sid played guitar. We kept saying we need to get together and jam, but we kept putting it off during the season. After the season was over, we had the opportunitiy. It sounds so cliché, but it just kind of clicked. The next thing we know, we’re in another guy’s garage jamming. Slowly but surely, over a few years it came together. Our bass player that we used to have was another football player at Cal. Everyone knew him as a bass player, and we’d all jam together. And we knew another soccer player that player drums, but we never did anything serious. We had no PA system, and our instruments were kind of… bad. But three years later, we all got together again and just started writing songs. The drummer we have now was one of Sid’s childhood friends, and then we found our new bass player Eric.






LK: Now that you’ve got a record out, has that changed the band’s dynamic at all?

FB: I’ve come to realize that that’s actually the hardest part about having a serious band. Sid and I have been best friends for the last seven or eight years. Now when we get together, we’re mostly talking about band stuff. That’s definitely not the way I want our relationship to be, but I think what’s really important about our band is that we are still friends. Making music is a beautiful thing, but I still want to maintain these friendships. It’s a downfall for a lot of bands: they get so caught up in the music and logistics of making money and trying to book venues. But what started it all was great friendships, and I hope that doesn’t change.

LK: You just released your album Jean Elizabeth (now available on iTunes). Are you relieved? Or are you already anxious to start another record?

FB: Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be where we’re at. It’s funny, the process went from just two guys playing acoustic guitar to releasing an album and having the opportunity to be represented and playing at The Viper Room. Now I’m just happy, and so appreciative; we’re just trying to get the music out there. I’m not really looking at the next step, I’m just living in the moment. Every time somethintg comes up, I’m just so happy that it’s happening.

LK: You’ve got a show at The Mint this Sunday.

FB: That's right. Every time we come to Los Angeles, people seem really into rock music. We’ve played a couple of shows in L.A. and been welcomed with open arms. We’ve never played The Mint, but we’re just excited to be playing there. We never thought we’d play L.A., we’re super juiced. The band we’re opening for is called Kyng, they’re this really great band from L.A. We’re just going to go out and and rock as hard as we can.

LK: Do you have anything planned after that?

FB: I never thought our band would have a manger, but we’re trying to get a tour going. We’re talking to The Roxy about a show as well. We played On the Rox, and we were pumped to say we were even playing near The Roxy (laughs). Now we have an opportunity to play downstairs at the beginning of January, and also some shows in the Bay area (where we’re from). We’re getting in contact with a few other bands and talking to them about touring, it’s definitely in the works. But I want it to be a slow process; I want to stay humble. Our band is small, and we’re making music for ourselves. But I hope at some point that some people can take something away from it as well.

LK: Who have you been listening to lately?

FB: One band that I’ve been listening to a lot has been Minus the Bear. I don’t know if it’s their guitar rifs or what, but it’s very mellow and it puts my mind at ease. Also a lot of jazz. I remember being young and my parents playing jazz music, and being like ‘What is this stuff?’ It’s funny that that happens as you get older. I love Pearl Jam, it’s one of my favorite bands. Musically, I realy appreciate Carter Beaford, Dave Matthews’ drummer. I’ve been into the new Drake album for the past few months, now I’m into jazz. I go through waves, we all do.

LK: If you could suggest any artist and/or album as essential must-haves for young ears, who would you name?

FB: To any young person listening to music, listen to e - BESTNEWBANDS.COM

Melodic hard rock group BENVENUE is gearing up for the October 5th release of Jean Elizabeth, the band’s self-released EP.

Seamlessly blending rock, metal and alternative with crunching guitars and soaring vocals, the disc includes four previously available tracks re-recorded and mixed - including the first single 'She Did' - and two new songs, 'No Way' and 'Be Your Own'.

The Berkeley quartet - Francis Blay (vocals), Sid Slater (guitar, vocals), Tommy Aldo Sonin (bass) and Moon (drums) - are really excited about the new material as it reflects the maturity and growth of the band.

“The new EP is an exciting adventure that plays in many of our lives,” explains Blay. “We went through the process of trying to make songs that are meaningful to oneself but also hopefully touch every person that listens to Benvenue.”

He adds: “It's amazing how you can write a song three years ago and it some how paints a picture of things you are going through now in life. The power of music and lyrics can take you to a point in life you want to forget but reminds you of how far you have come.”

One of the new songs, 'No Way', is a vortex of emotions, deep, dark and angry. Written during a break-up, the rollercoaster of emotions Slater felt was shifted into song. The weighty intro captures you immediately and glides you into the melodic guitar, combined into a semi-mysterious, ethereal way of painting feelings as a scene.

With 'Be Your Own', Benvenue brings out their heavy metal side with hard-hitting, high-energy throughout. This has quickly become a fan favorite at shows and one of Benvenue’s favorite tracks to perform live. The band will get another chance to preview the new material on October 22nd at the Someday Lounge in Portland, OR.

All of the members of Benvenue come from different backgrounds which brings a unique quality to the music and the live experience for the fans. Influenced by hip-hop, rock, drum and bass, alternative and jazz, Benvenue's sound connects to many listeners. They don't fit into the typical rock mold.. but that's what defines Benvenue.

More on the band at this location.
- BRAVEWORDS.COM

Melodic hard rock group BENVENUE--which Campus Circle labeled “…definitely a band to keep on eye on.” (7/27/09) --is gearing up for the October 5 release of JEAN ELIZABETH, the band’s self-released EP. Seamlessly blending rock, metal and alternative with crunching guitars and soaring vocals, the disc includes four previously available tracks re-recorded and mixed--including the first single “She Did”--and two new songs, “No Way” and “Be Your Own.”


In a recent live review from a performance at Los Angeles’ Viper Room, Erik Cameron of MetalAssault.com raved, “These alternative metallers showed Los Angeles a performance not to forget. This band definitely had a great deal of integrity going on in their music, combining elements such as Incubus with real melodic tones, chords and hard heavy riffs similar to Rage Against The Machine. Benvenue don't care for the local trends and their creative efforts are extremely rare and powerful…you can appreciate the tremendous musicianship and professionalism this band maintains, and from what we could say, these guys will go far. Their performance was really amazing.” (8/4/10)






The Berkeley quartet--FRANCIS BLAY (vocals), SID SLATER (guitar, vocals), TOMMY ALDO SONIN (bass) and MOON (drums)--are really excited about the new material as it reflects the maturity and growth of the band. “The new EP is an exciting adventure that plays in many of our lives,” explains BLAY. “We went through the process of trying to make songs that are meaningful to oneself but also hopefully touch every person that listens to Benvenue.” He adds: “It's amazing how you can write a song three years ago and it some how paints a picture of things you are going through now in life. The power of music and lyrics can take you to a point in life you want to forget but reminds you of how far you have come.”


One of the new songs, “No Way,” is a vortex of emotions, deep, dark and angry. Written during a break-up, the rollercoaster of emotions SLATER felt was shifted into song. The weighty intro captures you immediately and glides you into the melodic guitar, combined into a semi-mysterious, ethereal way of painting feelings as a scene. With “Be Your Own” BENVENUE brings out their heavy metal side with hard-hitting, high-energy throughout. This has quickly become a fan favorite at shows and one of BENVENUE’s favorite tracks to perform live. The band will get another chance to preview the new material on October 22 at the Someday Lounge in Portland, OR.


All of the members of BENVENUE come from different backgrounds which brings a unique quality to the music and the live experience for the fans. Influenced by hip-hop, rock, drum and bass, alternative and jazz, BENVENUE's sound connects to many listeners. They don't fit into the typical rock mold…but that's what defines BENVENUE.



http://www.benvenueband.com
http://www.myspace.com/benvenue
http://twitter.com/benvenueband
http://www.facebook.com/BenvenueMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/BenvenueTV
- KIKAXEMUSIC.COM