Blue Sun

The band is set to play the Riddle Ale House in Media Saturday. They're also hosting a radio show on WSTW 93.7 this Sunday from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.


Oh, to be so young and so talented. Ranging in age from the ripe-old 20-year-old guitar virtuoso Jake Mattera to 17-year-old percussionist Tony Warder, Blue Sun is poised to make the journey to rock stardom an experience to learn from and remember.

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..>..> "We all work two jobs now but we would like nothing more than to play music full-time," says Mattera of Boothwyn. "And it's not just because of the music but because of our shared goals. We all want to succeed and entertain."


Spoken like a rock 'n' roll journeyman, Mattera already exhibits a worldly knowledge beyond his years. Blue Sun has been playing as a cohesive musical team since July 2005, churning out a hard-edged rock sound comparable to Pearl Jam, Audio Slave, Alice-in-Chains with a dash of the 70s Doors thrown in.


"We're not a hard rock band but we definitely know how to rock a show," Matterra says. "The way we play our music and the way we display it to our audience keeps them up and attracted to the show."


Most of the band met at Cardinal O'Hara High School. Mattera brought rhythm guitarist Matt Boyle, 19, of Swarthmore and lead vocalist Jason Rufo, 20, of West Chester together. The newest member of the band is bass player Dave Esposito, 18, of Malvern.


Blue Sun bill themselves as an original rock experience and, as a band, know who they are. "Blue Sun is genuine, we are what we do and we feel what we play," says lead singer Jason Rufo philosophically.


Although they are unsigned, the band continues to plug away, writing new material, compiling an impressive oeuvre for their 10-song yet-to-be-titled debut CD. The band plays the local original music circuit including colleges and universities like Neumann, Cabrini, West Chester and Temple where they recently won $400 in a Battle of the Bands competition.


Some Blue Sun fan favorites include "Through the Battlefields" which Mattera terms a "metaphor for modern-day living and surviving." A number of songs, including "The Salvage" and their new song "Escape" were number one requested songs on local radio station WSTW's "Hometown Heroes" program.


Practicing four days a week and playing numerous weekly gigs keeps this band of up-and-comers in the local music spotlight. "The fun has been in setting up shows, like our upcoming big show at the Trocadero, the many fans and friends we've acquired, learning in the process and becoming a band," says Mattera.


Blue Sun music is definitely distinguished by Mattera's exceptional guitar licks, including brilliant, sweeping solos, Warder's steady drumbeat and Rufo's unmistakable voice and lyrical interpretation.


"Our band's strength lies in the combination of his [Rufo's] vocals and the way we compose our music which is basic rock 'n' roll with modern day effects," Mattera says.


Besides the band's soon-to-be-released CD, Blue Sun is most excited about their seven-band showcase at the Trocadero in Philadelphia on Saturday, March 10. This all-ages show features Chicago Violin, Modern Bliss, and Shotgun Addiction among others. A packed audience and a record company representative or two is expected.


In the meantime, band members continue to work hard at their craft, not waiting for their big break to happen but choosing to make it happen themselves.


"We've had our fair share of being taken advantage of," says Mattera. "We're a long way from being where we want to be but we've come a long way from the beginning."


To find out more or sample Blue Sun music, visit: www.myspace.com/bluesunpa or e-mail: Bluesunmusicpa@aol.com.
- News of Delaware County

Why do we love Blue Sun? They're local. No, silly, it's not their addresses that we cherish; by "local," we simply mean that they're 150% committed to the Philly area. Sure, they'd like to expand their fan base - what band wouldn't? But you can tell that through and through, these guys are all about Pa., and their hearts are totally dedicated to two things: their loyal, local fans and their music. It's refreshing.

And we also love that they're frequently involved in benefit shows - gotta love a band with compassion. In fact, they might be playing the All Around Philly Rock Fest to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in September - keep an eye on rockaroundphilly.com to see which bands will be selected to grace the stage.

While what's inside counts most, we've gotta say something about Blue Sun's music, too, don't we? (You kids always want to hear about the music. You're so demanding... gosh.) Well, we've got nothing but compliments for this young band. Their sound is a creative blend of alternative, rock and something that sounds like a little bit like reggae. It's smoothly executed, but slightly edgy and bad-boyish. It'll definitely keep you coming back for another listen.

Tell us the basics: first and last names, the instrument/s you play, ages, and... something interesting about each of you.

Jason Rufo - singer, 20; Can kick Boyle's as.

Jake Mattera - lead guitar, 19; Applying to be the next Cookie Monster on Sesame Street.


Matt Boyle - rhythm guitar, 20; Likes eating peanut butter and jelly in his underwear, and gave Rufo a bloody nose in the recording studio when making the album.

Dave Esposito - bass, 18; Is mad-sick at origami.

Tony Warder - drums, 18; Is good in bed.

Where are you guys from?

Jake: Delaware County.

When and how did the band get together?

Formed in July 2005 and completed in fall 2006. Three of four founding members are me, Jason and Matt, who went to school together, and Tony was good friends with Matt. Tony found Dave and we lived happily ever after.

What's with the name? Tell us how you picked it.

Blue Sun comes from a dream that I had where I was in a place with a blue sun and a dog led me to the sun. We had an artist depict the vision and it became our album artwork.

How would you describe your sound?

If '90s rock took a shower...or as Tony put it....the aftermath of ball-kicking.

Are there any dominant themes in your songwriting?

In our first album, it deals a lot with failure, sorrow, recovery and triumph.

Do you have any finished albums yet?

We just released our debut album Manumission a little over a month ago; its' available at myspace.com/bluesunpa.

Who are your most dominant musical influences?

Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots.

Where's your favorite place to play a Philly show?

Main stage at the Trocadero.

Any good stories from the road? Make us laugh.

Once upon a time, we played a show in New Jersey at the Cherrywood Rock Club. On the way, our shepherd (Boyle) got lost in the zigs and zags of the Jersey highways and was getting upset. We were following him in a rather large truck with all of our equipment, so he pulled into a Wawa and we in the truck blocked the whole parking lot as he ran in to ask for directions and we antagonized him a bit and he had some choice words for us. Two minutes later, you see him carry our singer out of the Wawa and tackle him to the ground; then he gets up and first he spikes his cell phone into the asphalt. When he realizes that it might be broken, he freaks out and he Hail Marys the sucker across the street, quickly running to grab it - and luckily the cell phone held up. But then we got to the show, played and had a good night... and yes, Boyle is still in therapy.

What inspires you?

The world around us.

What song is in your head right now?

Zombie by the Cranberries.

Do you have day jobs, or is it full-time music?

Day jobs. :-( But we are working on becoming full-time musicians.

What happens after a typical show?

Ask Lindsay Lohan.

Close your eyes and picture where you'll be in five years. What does it look like?

National touring with hopes of success.

Tell us a good joke! We like jokes.

A man walked into a bar... ouch

Any downfalls to being a musician?

Jake: We're hungry; as original musicians, I guess you can say money is a problem.

What local shows do you have coming up?

Aug. 4, at the Media Coffee Club, 7 p.m. (all ages).
Aug. 7, at Grape Street, 11 p.m. (21+) .

Where can we find you on the Web?

myspace.com/bluesunpa, or you can vote for us at rockaroundphilly.com - a competition for a great cause to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

-Rachel Perry
Staff Writer
08/21//2007 - Play Magazine