Dinner And A Suit

One of my favourite bands to have discovered on AP.net, Dinner and a Suit, have finally finished recording their new album, Since Our Departure. As someone that's been following them for some time, I am quite proud of what they have created as this is their best work to date, so I decided to bring you guys an exclusive sneak peak by streaming the song "Where We Started." You probably remember checking out this song when we posted a video of it, but this finished version is that much better. Go listen to it and let us know what you think. - Absolutepunk.net

Dinner And A Suit bassist Anthony “Max” Genca talks with Pollstar about touring, making records and building the band’s brand in the post-Napster era.

Founded in 2008 by Genca and his cousins Jonathan Capeci (vocals/guitar) and Joey Beretta (vocals/guitar), the rock band Dinner And A Suit takes its name from the Great Depression era when their great-grandmother was a seamstress and their great-grandfather would often invite someone down on his luck to come to their house for a home-cooked meal. Not only would those guests often leave the house with full stomachs, but many of them received new suits tailored by the great-grandmother.

Currently on tour supporting South Africa’s The Parlotones, Genca described how Dinner And A Suit always insisted on playing original music, even during their early years gigging at Philadelphia bars and clubs. Genca also talked about the band’s use of social media platforms to promote itself and how recording Dinner And A Suit’s first album – 2012’s Since Our Departure – was “a very weird process.”

The band moved from New Jersey to Nashville, a city where the music industry is in full force. What has surprised you most about the business of making music?

As far as the two different locations, Philly was great for us for a while. We grew up in South Jersey but we mostly played out in Philly because there weren’t too many places to play in New Jersey. It’s surprising … a lot of the scene in Philly that we found was cover bands. You can get gigs anywhere as a cover band but as original music it’s very hard to get good shows and people to come out. That’s one of the reasons why we moved to Nashville was to take it a little more seriously. We had some connections and Nashville has been outstanding for us.

There’s every different type of music in Nashville, which surprised me as well. You’d think you’d just go there and listen to country but they got rock, metal, punk, alternative, everything.

But just about ever act has played covers at one time or another if only to get a gig. Did Dinner And A Suit play any covers?

We didn’t really do it. We stuck to original music. We throw a cover in every once in a while in our set. We do a little bit of John Mayer sometimes. Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie … We did Lights when she first came out. … We didn’t really do cover gigs. We stuck to our original music gigs.

Dinner And A Suit has had a few drummers. Are you tired of hearing all the Spinal Tap jokes about drummers?

[laughs] Naw. Right now we have Drew [Scheuer] and he’s been wonderful for us. He’s everything we needed. We have gone through our fair share of drummers, at least five or six of them, now. No one ever seems to stick but we’re really hoping Drew is in it for the long haul.

The rest of you are all family – cousins – so when you bring in a drummer, he’s not, “of the blood,” so to speak. He’s a newcomer in a family situation. That’s got to be tough for anyone.

We made Drew feel like family from the get-go. He’s been really great and it hasn’t been very difficult at all. We’re all easy going, we’re all friends and we kind of lucked out that we all get along very well.

Being a young band, I’m guessing you and your bandmates still have to sell the band to people not familiar with your music. To them, how do you describe Dinner And A Suit?

I guess the genre we would say is pop/rock with some alternative feel to it. Generally, we just try to let them hear for themselves. Send them to our social media [sites], let them listen and decide for themselves what they think we are. We play music that we love, that we enjoy … that’s about it.

Dinner And A Suit is a post-Napster band in that it was birthed in a world where traditional methods of making and distributing music didn’t necessarily apply and people often think music should be free. Are you heavily invested in social media to get the word out?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. We’re on every social media [platform] – Twitter, Instagram, all that. YouTube, everything. Facebook, you name it. It’s been great for us.

We started out on YouTube. It was, like, our real push on social media. What Jon and Joe would do is put up covers every once in a while to kind of keep it interesting … before we were writing. That really helped. We’d see subscribers and people buying our iTunes daily. Once Instagram and Twitter came, we’d go on there and follow people, random people, and send them to our site. We’d find that it helps. They’d follow us back, enjoy it, and buy our albums.

We make it an effort to respond to every single person who sends us something on any type of social media website. Just make that connection and hopefully, when they come to a show, we can connect further then.

How is the tour with The Parlotones going?

It’s been awesome. They’re the nicest guys, ever. We’ve gotten great responses from the crowds. It’s been a blessing to be on tour with these gu - Pollstar

Who: Dinner and a Suit
Where: Nashville, TN
For fans of: Anberlin, MuteMath, Motion City Soundtrack, Copeland

Dinner and a Suit is band that was formed out of New Jersey by Jonathan Capeci, Joey Beretta, and Anthony Genca in 2009. Since forming the band, Dinner and a Suit has easily captured fans with their pop/rock sound. They have gained enough attention to allow live dates that have included the Vans Warped Tour, MTV2's Projekt Revolution, and tours all throughout the East Coast and Midwest.

After gaining fans on these tours, Dinner and a Suit packed up and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in late 2010. While there, they worked on their full-length album titled Since Our Departure with themes like forgiveness and hope, love and loss, and discovering a place in the world.

I have had the privilege to see Dinner and a Suit live a couple times. It is quite obvious their stage presence is one of a kind and something you need to see in person.

Dinner and a Suit have a few tour dates out currently for August 2012 with more to be announced. I think with time, Dinner and a Suit will definitely become a band to be heard. They easily appeal to all ages with their type of sound, which will for sure bring in many new ears for future music. Dinner and a Suit is a band you want to keep your eye on. You can check out Dinner and a Suit’s music and tour dates on their website,http://dinnerandasuit.com/ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dinnerandasuit. Also, check out their single Too Late on iTunes! - Musiqtone

Dinner and a Suit's upbeat melodies and catchy hooks will have you singing along to every song on their album, Since Our Departure. Their lyrics will really make you think, too: "A big theme of the album is leaving and wondering if you did the right thing," band member Jonathan Capeci told Seventeen. "Then, there's 'Where We Started,' which is about a relationship that went wrong and wishing you could've done something differently." Bonus: how hot are they?! - Seventeen Magazine

Meet Nashville's Dinner And A Suit. True, it's an unusual name, but stay with us here -- the pop/rock trio's unusually catchy choruses are officially of the "can't-get-out-of-your-head-for-days" variety. We may or may not be listening to their entire debut album, Since Our Departure (independently released), every day, on repeat, and we're pretty sure you'll want to as well -- it's nearly impossible to ignore the melodic oomph of tracks such as "Love Is Risky" and "Too Late."

Peddling hooky, anthemic jams backed by passionate pop vocals, Dinner And A Suit -- Jonathan Capeci, Joey Beretta and Anthony Genca -- bring to mind a handful of piano-driven pop-rock favorites such as Coldplay, Jack's Mannequin, and The Fray -- but without any of the shmaltz people immediately and unfairly pin on piano-driven pop-rock. In fact, you may have even heard DAAS before if you keep up with "Jersey Shore": The band's "It's Not Over" played in the background as Jenni, Pauly, Sammy, Snooki, Deena, Ronnie, Vinny, and The Situation bid each other farewell in the series finale. (Admit you teared up!)

When they're not soundtracking defining moments in television and garnering a TON of attention from MTVU, the cousins are getting called out by Seventeen as one of the mag's favorite new bands. On their unusual name, the boys told Seventeen, "[Our great-grandma] worked at a suit factory in the early 1900s, and she would take home defective ones that were going to be discarded anyways. Then, she would fix them up and invite people who were homeless and jobless over, cook them dinner, and give them a new suit before they left." (AW.) So, yeah, DAAS might be thiiis close to radio stardom, but we'd be lying if we said our hearts didn't go a little mushy for a band that pays homage to their familial roots. And if their prominent "Jersey Shore" placement is any indication, we're sure we'll be seeing a LOT more from the trio as their career unfolds. Somebody sign these guys, already, jeeze! - MTV

A lot of people in Music City know that if the show starts at 7:00PM, they'll most likely have to stand for at least an hour for an opening act or two. Because of this, a lot of people simply arrive late to see the band they came to see, and that's it. However, there are a few of us who enjoy getting to the show around start time and checking out new bands. You can always step outside if they're awful. When arriving early for the Imagine Dragons show last week, I did not want to step outside for Dinner And A Suit. From first downbeat, they were tight, had good stage presence and played just the right amount of songs. Dinner And A Suit resides in Nashville and just released their album Since Our Departure.

- Music Without Labels

Jersey Boys Jonathan Capeci, Joey Beretta and Anthony Genca picked up and moved to Nashville a couple of years ago. And now that the album, Since Our Departure, that they set out to make there is just about ready, it's time for them to hit the road. Perfect timing for a road trip, playing dates between NYC and Los Angeles for the next few months.

But getting to this place hasn't been an easy road. The band got together in 2009 and had some initial success, relseasing singles independentedly. Their songs "are about a lot of different things," Capeci explained in a recent phone interview. They cover everything from "the feeling you get when you mess up and want a do-over" or "love" or "not giving up. It took a lot of refining to find the right mix." And Nashville "is great for anyone involved in music. Slow-paced -- it's different from home -- but it's been great for us" he shared.

He went on to share his best advice. "If I could go back to my younger self, I'd spend the time. Spend every day practicing and learning what it means to be in this business -- things beyond just being in a band too. Become the best at what you do" -- but also -- "don't be afraid to pursue your dreams." - Channel One News

After listening to their new album on repeat the entire day, I caught up with two members of Dinner and a Suit, Joey (far right) and Jonathan (center), before they played a short (but amazing) acoustic set in NYC, to chat about the inspirations behind their music, embarrassing tour moments, and, of course, what they're looking for in a girl. Check out the interview, then snag a free download of their latest single, "Too Late"!

Seventeen: So, there has to be a story behind the name Dinner and a Suit...

Joey Beretta: Well, Jon and I [They're cousins!] grew up hearing this story about our great-grandma. She worked at a suit factory in the early 1900s, and she would take home defective ones that were going to be discarded anyways. Then, she would fix them up and invite people who were homeless and jobless over, cook them dinner, and give them a new suit before they left.

17: Where did most of the inspiration for your new album, Since Our Departure, come from?

JB: When we moved from Philly to Nashville, it was a really big deal for us. Leaving home and going somewhere where you're not really sure what's going to happen is something I think a lot of people go through.

Jonathan Capeci: That's a big theme of the album: leaving and wondering if you did the right thing. Then, there's "Where We Started," which is one of those songs about a relationship that went wrong and wishing you could've done something differently. We did want there to be a little hope in there too, not just a depressing "We miss home!" album.

17: What are some of the most awesome fan moments you've ever had on any tour?

JC: Anytime someone comes to a show with a t-shirt they've made is always really cool. Honestly, just day-to-day when people are singing along, that's just the coolest feeling.

17: You're both definitely some of our newest celeb crushes — what could one of our readers do to win your hearts?

JB: It's important to me for a girl to be able to roll with the punches and be spontaneous. Also, I make stupid jokes all the time, and she can't take them too seriously.

JC: For me, as cheesy as it sounds, I think it's probably just loyalty. We are on the road a lot, so if you don't feel like you can trust someone, it's pretty hard to engage in any kind of relationship other than a friendship.

17: What are some of your most embarrassing moments, on tour or otherwise?

JC: One time, I was in a play at our church, and Joe's mom always made the costumes. She had to make about fifty costumes, so I'm sure that the quality wasn't necessarily up to par. My pants were just way too big. So, the big night comes, the debut of the play, and my big part as a guard comes where I had to take somebody to jail. I had my sword in one hand, and a prisoner in the other... and my pants were just suddenly gone!

JB: A few shows ago, I had just bought a new guitar, and it kept falling off the strap! My guitar just kept crashing to the floor in the middle of songs! There's really no coming back from that, you know? It wasn't cool, like I was smashing it at the end of the show or anything!

Have you fallen in love with Dinner and a Suit yet? Check out their new album, and let us know what you think in the comments below! - Seventeen Magazine

Dinner And A Suit whose video for “Too Late” will be added into rotation at mtvU next week. - mtvU

New Jersey four-piece Dinner And A Suit's unique alt-rock sound is putting them on the radar. - Substream Music Press

The number of emails that we get from bands who want to be featured on our site is endless. Once in a while, however, a band will come around that will blow us away and make us wonder why their status is still "Unsigned." Such is the case with Dinner And A Suit. I can't quite put my finger on the band that they remind me of, but one thing is for sure: I have had their featured track "Titus" on repeat for the past 30 minutes. That's no easy task to accomplish, but how can I resist these heartfelt lyrics and great music? It's impossible. So without wasting more time, head over to their AP.net profile and hear for yourself. - Absolute Punk

A year into playing out, south Jersey's Dinner And A Suit have taken their indie-meets-experimental sound to MTV2's Revolution Stage of the 2008 Projekt Revolution tour and the Ernie Ball stage of this past summer's Warped Tour. "Our solid lyrical and melodic hooks give us our signature sound," says frontman Jonathan Capeci. "It's fresh and exciting."

Link to write up:
http://altpress.com/apr/dinnerandasuit.htm - Alternative Press

Dinner and a Suit's Light and Lungs is an impressive debut—and not just because several of the band members are only nineteen years old. Though the band is certainly both young and fresh-faced, many of their songs ponder universal issues of self-expression and the travails of interpersonal relationships. Some, like “Who I Am,” even wade off into deeper waters, with the existential artistic question “Am I just a copy of someone else before me?” The band even raises the possibility for religious interpretations of their lyrics with liner-note nods to the man upstairs, without ever veering into the perilously preachy territory of Christian rock.

With comparisons to John Mayer and Coldplay, Dinner and a Suit definitely appeal to an emo feminine audience with their brooding lyrics and softer rock sound, though there's plenty for boys to enjoy in the band's high-energy performances. As for their earlier question about being mere copies, though, it's obvious that the band brings plenty of talent and ingenuity to the table. While there's some standard indie rock stuff happening with Jon Capeci's passionately soaring vocals, giving rise to potential comparisons with Linkin Park (who, incidentally, chose Dinner and a Suit as the opening act for the Projekt Revolution tour date in Philadelphia), the band's rock sound is one of a kind.

Catchy ballads like “You From Me” particularly stand out, despite my own general distaste for down-tempo tunes of the lighter-waving variety. Following up this slower song to end the album on a high note with the upbeat “Square One,” the band clearly understands exactly what an audience wants and needs and never hesitates to give it.

--Laura Roberts [October 13, 2008]


- Amplifier Magazine