September Twilight

Show Review

On November 26th, 2003, upstairs at the Middle East I accidentally witnessed a historic show. An opening band so great I hope to not see them open for more than one hot minute, with a supernaturally vivid front man immersed in a sonic wall of lush and complex loud beauty... almost indescribable, but I’ll make the attempt.
Just who is SEPTEMBER TWILIGHT...? An opening band stage presence like this doesn’t come through the Upstairs Room too often... and particularly not one this well supported and received! The room was packed full of most attractive and attentive fans. At 9pm. On Wednesday. On the night before Thanksgiving! Remarkable promotion and suburban fan loyalty - and this incarnation of the band had been together only four months or so.
From the shoeless and nimble-fingered fiery sweet guitarist, through two pillars of Bass sound waves masterly manipulated; and from BamBam the mohawked gentle giant spritzing his sweat out on the drums, to (21 year old Vietnamese and German) Bill - a modest and striking front man with Bowiesque almost gothic moves and platinum-rock-pipes, the voice of SEPTEMBER TWILIGHT was a call to a complex consciousness that you could hang, or bang, your head to.
They released their very first 4-song CD out this same night.
As I sit now at home on Thanksgiving day, remembering last night's powerful wail then whisper "...spread your wings..." I think from their song Changeless (a well-woven and intelligent thunderclash) all my secret hope for this generation is renewed.


- Amatul Hannan ToolBox Productions toolboxp@yahoo.com

NORTHBORO- They just know they're meant to do it.

"All the signs are pointing down this road," says 20-year-old guitarist Joe Cusella, who grew up in Northboro and lives in Allston.

He's talking about his band, September Twilight. The five members, who formed under the name in 2001, share the feeling they are on the right path.

While others their age might find purpose in different careers, Mr. Cusella, 23-year-old Kevin Gallagher of Grafton, 21-year-old Luke DelCid of Northboro and Worcester and 21-year-olds Bill Bloom and Neil Taylor, both of Southboro, say they want to make music as long as they possibly can.

"It's just really, really fun. It's really fun to rock a crowd," Mr. Bloom, the band's vocalist, said during a recent visit to Northboro. "It gives me a chance, personally, to ... let out my soul, basically, and it feels good to do that."

Along the same lines, when Mr. Gallagher saw Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee do his stuff while he was still in third grade, "I wanted a drum set the next day," said the drummer, who has since earned the nickname "Bam Bam."

Several of September Twilight's members feel they have received signs telling them this is what they need to do. For Mr. Gallagher, it was at a time when he had decided he did not want to be in a band anymore.

In 2001, the group was still known as DowneCycle and Mr. Gallagher had informed the other members that he was quitting. But as they played together on Sept. 1 of that year, something happened.

"I don't want to call it magic," he said as he tried to think of another term. But the chemistry between members that night changed his mind. It was then the name September Twilight was born.

Although group members are certain of their purpose in life, they are realistic and modest when it comes to discussing their chances of winning the Emergenza Talent Scouting Competition, a Battle of the Bands contest, tomorrow at the Avalon in Boston.

They've already won two competitions to get to this point. If they win tomorrow, they move on to the international finals in August in Germany, where 22 bands from around the world will vie for the title and a spot on the Vans Warped tour next year.

Joking that their chances are 1 in 14 (14 bands are competing tomorrow), one member followed with "one in eight," another with "one in six" and so forth.

"I'd say our chances are pretty good," Mr. Bloom said.

September Twilight will perform a 25-minute set and will be judged by audience reaction, and if that goes well, a panel of judges. Mr. DelCid, a guitarist, said competitors' performances will range from acoustic, country and rock to hardcore, punk and pop. His older brother's band, Say When, also is competing, he said.

As for September Twilight's music and influences, members say there is a broad variety.

"We listen to everything," Mr. Gallagher said. "When you just jostle it all together ... September Twilight is what you get. It's rock music with a positive message."

And when you jostle the members together, you get a family.

The young men enjoy each other's company, laugh boisterously when someone cracks a joke and say they've grown close over the years.

"If there is a problem, it doesn't get further than two minutes," Mr. Gallagher said.

"We're always open with our feelings or emotions," Mr. Cusella added.

All but Mr. Gallagher graduated from Algonquin Regional High School in 2001. Mr. DelCid, Mr. Bloom and Mr. Taylor are attending college.

Mr. Cusella recently graduated from the New England Institute of Art and works in retail and Mr. Gallagher works in construction, but the music remains September Twilight members' first passion.

"Our social life and things get scheduled around that," Mr. DelCid said of the long hours the group spends practicing. "It's like work hours, but it doesn't feel like work."

"It gives me a sense of purpose," Mr. Taylor, the band's bassist, said. "When I'm doing it and expressing myself ... it makes me feel that I'm doing good, that I'm on the right path."

Perhaps it is the lyricist in Mr. Bloom that caused him to write down his feelings on why being a musician is the right choice for him.

"The meaning of our music is not only expressed through its words, but also through what we project energetically," he wrote. "The example we make is not only an image, it's who we are, and we are meant to motivate, inspire, and encourage change in a world where obviously things could be better."

September Twilight promises that those attending the show will find that it is passionate and that it will evoke emotion and thought.

"It just feels right," Mr. Taylor said. "It was the only thing I could ever do really well ... it's always felt right to me. Rocking a crowd, there's nothing like it."

Mr. Cusella said those interested in supporting the band tomorrow should get to the club at about 3:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets may call (617) 254-1606.

For more information about the band and upcoming shows, visit www.septembertwilight.com.
- Patricia James T&G STAFF