The Attraction
Gig Seeker Pro

The Attraction

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Alternative Punk

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"THE ATTRACTION Pulling In Fans"

It's no wonder the Attraction picked up honors in the Best Punk category at the Southern California Music Awards in February, and then nabbed top honors in the same category at the Orange County Music Awards two months later.

The group's 12-song debut, "Step Right Up!" is a must have for discerning listeners who love punk. And the Huntington Beach-based outfit's sound is vast enough to include alt-rock, power pop and reggae. The Roundhouse Productions-issued disc features instantly-memorable melodic tracks such as "Tales of a Liar" and "Farewell," as well as the wistful U2-flavored "Christmas Song," the hardcore assault of "Bleed" and reggae tune "Subject to Change." While the original July 2005 pressing of "Step Right Up!" recently sold out, the Attraction is repressing the disc in a special edition format that will include some live cuts.

"These are the greatest and most easy going guys I've ever been with in a band," said drummer Humper T, in an interview conducted after the Attraction tore through a strong 45-minute set at diPiazza in Long Beach on Aug. 10. The band's all-original lineup also features lead singer Lance Romance, guitarist Master John and bassist Beaver.

Watching the quartet perform together on stage, connect with a crowd and talk about the magic of firing on all cylinders, it's easy to see why the Attraction is likely the most aptly-titled outfit around. It's not the great songs alone; dressing in colorful attire and using some select lighting and sound effects to open their performances, they deliver a show that truly combines a powerful rock aesthetic with theater.

"It's fun. We all have grown," said Master John. "We've come in with an open mind. We throw the spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks." Added Lance Romance: "It's not just a band, it's a bond."

The Attraction has found a fast-growing fan base, thanks to airplay on Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 FM, as well as shows at large venues such as the Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana and opening for Guttermouth at Vault 350 in Long Beach. The band also headlined at the 15th annual Inkslinger's Ball, performing in front of its largest-ever audience at Angel Stadium in April.

Since playing its first show at Gallagher's in Huntington Beach on Oct. 11, 2003, the band has been writing, recording and playing music all built around a mix of melodic choruses, catchy guitar riffs and enthralling shows. Very soon the Attraction will see if far-off audiences are as receptive as those in their own backyard; the band is playing at the Celebrity Night Club in Las Vegas tonight. In addition, it is going on a nationwide tour in October, including shows in connection with the CMJ Music Marathon festival in New York.

"This band is a second chance at life for me," admitted Beaver, who hadn't played music in several years before the Attraction. "I met Lance and we started the band three years ago. This is everything music should have been when I first started, being involved with a band that is more than four guys playing music. There is so much heart behind every song, but at the same time it's pure fun."

Lance Romance agrees: "I'm of the opinion, that (live) music has lost its entertainment value." That said there is no lack of substance in the Attraction's material. The ramifications of war ("Johnny") and the loss of loved ones ("Still Breathing" was written in the wake of the death of the lead singer's sister three years ago) are among the Attraction's most memorable songs.

"The word of mouth on us is ridiculous," Beaver said. "We haven't done pay to play (the system in which some clubs require artists to sell a minimum number of tickets to play). Once they (audiences) see us, they're sold."

The Attraction will perform at the South Bay Music Awards, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, at 8 p.m. on Sept. 9.

Information: www.theattraction.net.

Robert Kinsler

- Orange County Register 8/18/06


"Interview 8/20/06"

STEP RIGHT UP!
LANCE ROMANCE OF
THE ATTRACTION
TALKS TO ROCKWIRED
ABOUT THEIR DEBUT CD
"STEP RIGHT UP"
A LUST FOR LIFE,
AND NEVER GIVING UP

INTERVIEWED BY BRIAN LUSH



The So Cal music scene is known for its punchiness and big lively sound. With that, THE ATTRACTION shouldn't stand out at all, but they do.

First, there is the music which shifts from four to the floor rock n roll to brit-pop, to a ska sound in a moments notice and LANCE ROMANCE'S alarm-like staccato delivery. Sure these are elements that will remind a listener of an early NO DOUBT or SUBLIME, but what does separate THE ATTRACTION from the rest of average SO CAL music fare is it's lyrical sophistication. Their debut CD STEP RIGHT UP! (Distributed by ROUND HOUSE RECORDS) asks the listener to do just that; to step right up and be a part of something that lead singer LANCE ROMANCE refers to as being "...magical". There is plenty of magic here on these 12 tracks. These guys know how to tell a story, and it ain't always pretty. The opening track JOHNNY is the harrowing tale of a teenaged misfit going off to war only to return to society as even more of misfit. STILL BREATHING tells of a near death experience suffered by the bands lead singer and CHRISTMAS SONG is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs on the subject of Christmas.

Secondly, THE ATTRACTION have developed a reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts on the scene. "In our live sets, what we wanted to create was something different," says LANCE ROMANCE. "You see bands nowadays and the shows are a bunch of kids banging it out with no real entertainment value. The music is good but we wanted to get back to putting on a show." And put on a show they do. The response to this band has been so alarmingly enthusiastic, that they have just been awarded the awards for "Best Punk Band" by both the Orange County Music Awards (OCMA) and the Southern California Music Awards (SCMA). They were also the finalists in the categories for "Best Live Act" (OCMA) and "Best Out of Area Band" by the Inland Empire Music Awards (IEMA). LANCE maintains that this is the "...tip of the iceberg..." for THE ATTRACTION. We can only agree!

ROCKWIRED spoke with LANCE ROMANCE over the phone on a Sunday morning following a show in Las Vegas. Here is how it went.


How did things begin for THE ATTRACTION? What brought you guys together?

It was one of those things where I had stumbled with relationships and I had put off music for a while. Then I came back and said "I'm gonna do everything that's good for me!" So, I came back to music 'cause it made me happy. I started looking for people and ended up meeting BEAVER our bass player and took off from there and put ads out and started finding people. We were fortunate enough to have come up with the right guys at the right time. Everyone clicked and things came together in the first year. I put together a business plan for the band and we started doing cover music so there would be no attitudes or egos and we could go into the bars and get paid. All the money we made as a cover band went into a bank account that would go towards recording gear. We figured that at the end of the year we should have a pretty good idea of how to play well on stage and do what we like to do. We also figured that we'd start writing original stuff from there.


And how long has the band been together now?

Three years in September.


Is the CD STEP RIGHT UP everything that you guys hoped it would be?

It is. It was literally something that we wrote on the fly. We recorded everything at my house in Huntington Beach. We bought the recording equipment and learned how to use it as we were writing. What we wanted was raw. None of us ended up doing more than four takes on any one thing. Most of the vocals were done in two. It was a pretty quick process of recording.


Sounds pretty homespun. The opening track JOHNNY is a powerful little track. You wanna talk about it?

Absolutely! My mom had a friend that she, as a child, grew up with who eventually disappeared and she never knew where he went. There was no good bye or anything. As it turns out, at age 15 he took off. He just wanted to get away. He had a hard life at home and his mother approved of him going into the military, to Vietnam. The Military told him to "write the number 18 on a piece of paper put it in your shoe and put your shoe back on and raise you right hand" then they said "Are you over 18?" and there he was literally over 18 and he said "...yes". They swore him in that way. Pretty tragic story! He was fifteen years old in Vietnam, killing an trying to survive. He came back home after three tours. After seeing all of buddies killed and blown up he could never come back to the real world. After struggling with drugs and alcohol and being in and out of jail he decided to take his own life. It was by air embolization. He injected his veins with air.


It's a tragic song. It stood o - RockWired


"The Attraction - Step Right Up!"

The Attraction, "Step Right Up!" (Roundhouse Productions) - Having picked up honors in the Best Punk category at the Orange County Music Awards last month, the Attraction's full-length debut is a must-listen for punk fans.
"Step Right Up!" boasts a dozen strong cuts, ranging from the instantly memorable "Tales of a Liar" (deservedly receiving airplay on Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 FM) to the wistful "Farewell" and reggae-tinged "Subject to Change."

The Attraction's sound is built around melodic choruses, catchy guitar riffs and straightforward lyrics sung by Lance Romance. The talented Huntington Beach outfit (no relation to Elvis Costello's band, of course) is rounded out by bassist Beaver, guitarist Master John and drummer Humper T.

Information: www.theattraction.net.
www.myspace.com/theattraction
You might like if you enjoy: Green Day, Offspring, The Clash. - Orange County Register


Discography

Step Right Up! - Self recorded and produced full length debut CD released August 2006 on Coach House Records. Airplay on INDIE 103.1fm L.A/O.C. Califirnia.

Photos

Bio

Emerging from the shores of Orange County, California, THE ATTRACTION, a solid four-piece band, is hitting the scene hard with a massive wave of unforgettable live music. Formed in 2003, THE ATTRACTION is Lance Romance (vocals), Beaver (Bass), Master John (Guitar) and Humper T. (Drums). Having both survived traumatic life changing experiences, Beaver and Lance agree that “When death stares you in the face, it really makes you appreciate life, so we rock every second of every show as if it’s our last”. The member’s intense passions for music brought them together as their incredible respect for each other formed a bond of musical talent to be recognized. Their driving sound, embedded with sincere lyrics and catchy riffs, truly connects the band with their listeners. The band describes their music as a recipe of equal parts Punk, Reggae, Garage, Indie, and some Brit-Guitar-Pop, tossed in with a pinch of porn for a little extra kick, then mixed in a blender and poured onto a dimly-lit stage for a perfect serving of THE ATTRACTION… Serves Millions! THE ATTRACTION recently released their first full-length album, “Step Right Up!”, which has appeared in Skratch magazine, garnered rave reviews, and has seen much recent radio airplay across the U.S. THE ATTRACTION was also named Best Punk Band at the 2006 Southern California Music Awards and the 2006 Orange County Music Awards. As THE ATTRACTION ignites the stage with their own style of Indie-Punk and Rock, their interaction with the crowd fuels the fans and leaves them begging for more…