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Brevard's rock ambassador plays Florida Music Festival on Saturday
BY JEFF NALL
FOR FLORIDA TODAY ADVERTISEMENT
Of the handful of Brevard County bands playing the Florida Music Festival, Bravo Armada is undoubtedly our area's heaviest-rocking musical ambassador.
From the sampling provided on the band's site, www.myspace.
com/bravoarmada, BA proves to be an able unit, adept at writing compelling songs filled with rushes of abrasive angst and bursts of bright melody.
Comprised of Kerry Shrage on drums, Robby Allsopp on guitar and vocals, Jim Martin on guitar and Shawn Millar on bass, BA notes influences such as As I Lay Dying, Avenged Sevenfold, Underoath and The Used.
From the start, tracks such as "Dream Catcher" incite an instant sonic riot in your speakers. Shrage's drums begin barring down like bursts of an automatic weapon, then the guitar strikes immediately with a searing lead that pushes the song into roaring unity. A minute through the song, the musical brutality instantly dissolves, leaving vocalist Robby Allsopp to offer a few melodic lines of pop-punk vocal styling over clean guitar and restrained drums.
In "Where the Wind Will," BA shows serious refrain from its usual boisterous artillery of big, fierce vocals and blazing guitar and bruising drums. Allsopp not only proves he's a capable vocalist, but he's a singer who can deliver lyrics with a poetic lilt, often the difference between a listener hearing and feeling lyrics.
Heavy on dynamic vocal and musical shifts, "Worst Mistake" displays an epiclike quality. Here, the band puts on a big sound that comes off like an intense ballad.
If you're going to the Florida Music Festival on Saturday, be sure to show your support when BA takes the stage at 2:30 p.m. at Backbooth.
Contact Nall at www.MySpace.com/SpaceCoast MusicWriter or sabletide@yahoo.com.
- Florida Today Newspaper
BA combines a little bit of everything from modern rock.
The band swings from solid rock melodies that sometimes
border on pop-rock, to screamo-oriented metal complete with
searing guitars, gutsy vocals, and dominating drums.
If you can’t catch the band at the FMF on May 17 try to
make it out to one of its local shows. BA will be at The Sandbar
on May 5, and at the Melbourne Jaycees on May 12. - Brevard Live Magazine
Eight bands perform at CD release concert
BY JEFF NALL
FOR FLORIDA TODAY ADVERTISEMENT
Fresh off playing the Backbooth at the Florida Music Festival, local band Bravo Armada is gearing up for a CD release concert Saturday at the Melbourne Jaycees.
The show begins at 7 p.m. and will feature eight bands including Everyth, Unconscious Regret and Shattering Silence.
BA front man Robby Allsopp, 19, said his 2-year-old band has begun to gain momentum. He highlighted participation in the FMF as one of the band's most significant accomplishments to date.
"That's probably the largest, most highly promoted show we've ever done," Allsopp said.
On the heals of the band's FMF appearance, BA is slated to return to the Backbooth on June 7 to open for Fearless Records band, A Static Lullaby.
"This is like the 'big' show for us as far as who we're playing with," Allsopp said. "We're really getting into some good stuff."
The band, comprised of Kerry Shrage (drums), Allsopp (guitar and vocals), Jim Martin (guitar) and Shawn Millar (bass), also is excited about releasing its first CD, "Black and White."
"We did the entire thing ourselves in my house," Allsopp said. "I have a small studio, and we got amazing quality out of it."
Asked how the band has successfully broken into the Orlando scene, playing about one show a month, and other area venues like the Sandbar, Allsopp said it's all about persistence.
"Our drummer's brother has been promoting us heavily in Orlando. We're obnoxious about it. We call venues and ask to get on shows."
Those planning to make it to the concert should listen for Allsopp's favorite from the new disc, "A New Year's Resolution."
"The lyrics are about seizing the moment and making sure you don't waste your time."
Contact Nall at www.MySpace.com/SpaceCoast MusicWriter or sabletide@yahoo.com.
- Florida Today Newspaper
Discography
Black And White, 2007
Photos
Bio
Bravo Armada is a four piece hard rock/screamo band based out of Melbourne, Florida. We have played with bands like The Sleeping (Victory Records), Outsmarting Simon (Triple Crown Records), and In Pieces (Escape Artist Records). While “Black And White” is our first release, you will find it to exceed most unsigned records in sound quality, professionalism, and maturity by far. We have played at small venues all over the state and have become very popular in our home town and the Central Florida area but have not yet acquired the resources to take a full tour. We hope this album will help take our band to the next level.
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