Johnny Stranger

Guitar driven rock ‘n’ roll four days in a row
by Matt Driscoll
Dec 24, 2008

Working on Christmas Eve is for chumps. As I sit in front of the computer, watching the rain outside turn all the lovely snow to brown crap on the roadways and putting this week’s Rock Rhetoric on paper, the rest of the world is joyfully wrapping presents while sipping eggnog and listening to cheesy Christmas albums they picked up at Stadium Thriftway for $5.99.

Or so it feels.

But, even though I can slowly feel myself developing a sort of Scrooge-like attitude — growing stronger with every minute that passes — I’ll try to trudge on diligently. If nothing else, this week’s subject of Rock Rhetoric — Johnny Stranger — deserves it.

If the name Johnny Stranger sounds familiar — but also like one you haven’t heard in a long-ass time – that’s not just because you spent your teens smoking weed out of a Mountain Dew can (although it probably doesn’t help).

Johnny Stranger is a band born in Washington but transplanted to Boston by the powers of life. In the beginning — and in the Evergreen State — leader, singer and guitarist Peter Anthony forged a musical relationship with drummer Chad Montermini. Johnny Stranger was born. The only problem was Montermini was soon to move to Bean Town to attend Berklee.

What to do?

The answer, as I’ve already alluded to, is move the band to Boston. A year after Montermini relocated for school, Anthony followed. (It took him a while to come up with the cash, as I’m sure you can understand).

And Johnny Stranger lived on.

An impressive and attention grabbing slew of guitar driven rock ‘n’ roll (the kind that reminds me of my youth in the ‘90s) jarred and combusted at a pace reminiscent of today’s, ProTools birthed popular radio — with a hint of funk thrown in for flavor — Johnny Stranger sounds like a band that’s grown into its britches. Johnny Stranger’s riffs are chunky and tight, and though Anthony admits there were some growing pains along the way, the band has reached a point where the power can be felt.

Starting next Tuesday, Dec. 30 and running through Friday Jan. 2, Johnny Stranger has four straight days of shows scheduled back in the Northwest, starting at Java Flow in Olympia on the 30th, moving to Le Voyuer on the night of the 31st, then playing WWCA Theater in Port Orchard on Jan. 1 and closing things out at the Capitol Theater Backstage Friday, Jan 2. - The Weekly Volcano