Roberta Sparrow
Urbana, Illinois, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Roberta Sparrow from Illinois perform a wide range of sounds from hardcore to punk rock there live show is explosive its the only hardcore punk band i've seen where the drummer is the lead singer.. great band i recomend checking them out - vegas review
Occupying the headlining slot, Roberta Sparrow unleashed the type of performance that the crowd which had quietly filed in throughout the night was anticipating.
Almost immediately, it was clear that the local hardcore punk act (which formed after the demise of Vice Dolls) was exactly what the two opening bands aspired to be: polished, well-rounded musicians.
Despite having only three members, Roberta Sparrow oozed greater stage presence than the more populated groups which had preceded them, anchored by drummer Greg Jaeger who impressively balanced his frenetic drumming with lead vocalist duties.
Aiming not to simply generate the most noise possible and couple it with mindless screaming, the trio injected a generous sampling of melody (of both the vocal and instrumental sort) into its heavy arrangements and at times nicely offset the unrelenting sonic attack with sing-along gang vocals and quieter bridges.
The group also seemed determined to maintain its tough guy image in the face of a maturing musical approach, at one point daring the crowd to mock a new song that featured a slower pace with poppier elements which made it more reminiscent of Rise Against than Bane.
After almost 45 minutes of churning out energetic anthems and nearly exhausting their catalog of songs, about the only feat the band was unable to pull off was organizing a circle pit around a metal table in front of the stage.
An act that would have added a visual element to the cyclical end of summer the night represented.

Chris Hassen: I'm an English major. And to answer you - www.217.com
Discography
2006 Roberta Sparrow S/T Cd EP
CU On The Streets Local CD compilation
Roberta Sparrow- Bloods Been Shed EP
Photos
Bio
From the ashes of Vice Dolls, comes Roberta Sparrow... Founded by former members of central Illinois hardcore/punk band, the Vice Dolls, and an ex-member of Champaign punk quartet, Decimation, Roberta Sparrow does not fade in light of past accomplishments. Hailing from an indie- rock saturated scene in their hometown of Champaign, IL, Roberta Sparrow has thrived since its conception in 2004 without the benefit of an established hardcore scene. The band tours as much as possible and they recently recorded a new record with Matt Talbot of Hum at Great Western Recording studio The bands blend of hardcore punk, and DIY work ethic has kept the spirit of Midwest Hardcore alive. When the trio was faced with the daunting task of finding a drummer lead vocalist Greg Jaeger stepped up. In the vein of UnderOATH, Atreyu and from autumn to ashes, Jaeger takes it one step further in the role as lead vocalist; He performs without the benefit of a frontman to shoulder some of the vocal leg-work all while blasting away at breakneck speeds behind the drums. Bassist Chris Meinart and Guitarist Justin Scoffield blend their distinctive styles and voices to create a unique combination that defines Roberta Sparrow's original sound. Their furious style, heartfelt lyrics and massive presence has created a noteworthy buzz in their hometown and beyond
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