The Viatones
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The Viatones

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Band Rock Blues

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"LOCAL BAND MAKING HEADWAY"

"Local rock band, [The Viatones], have been very busy this summer. The group of Portland boys have been playing together for 9 yrs. now, and have been playing all over Nashville for the past 3. Unlike most young bands these days, these young men are influenced by artists such as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. After a lot of hard work, things are beginning to look up for the band. The boys have finally managed to "get their foot in the door" at many of Nashville's best live music venues. Among their shows so far this year were Vanderbilt's Rights of Spring Music Festival, with The Roots and Wolfmother, as well as show in front of 700 people at 12th and Porter. Earlier this year, the group rejected a world-wide distribution and recording contract offer with New York City's Indie Record label, Rainbow Quartz Records, due to royalty issues. The band is currently recording their 2nd full-length album at Compass Records on legendary Music Row, and they are set to play City Hall this month in front of an expected crowd of 1,500 people." - The News Examiner


"CONCERT OF THE YEAR"

"The concert of the year is being held in the Portland Auditorium for a school benefit. [The Viatones]. who usually perform only at Nashville's best live music venues, such as Exit-In, 12th and Porter, The Rutledge, On The Rocks, and CIty Hall, are bringing their flair back to their hometown. The band was first started over 10 years ago by brothers Dylan (bass) and Blayze Viator (guitar), Kirk Cristoloveanu (drums), and Darius Mohammadpour (guitar). The band was renowned for their vintage sound with a modern twist and was quickly soaring to the top. A year after recording their first album, "The 10 Can Sessions," the band suffered a grave loss. On Jan. 8, 2006, beloved bassist and brother, Dylan Viator, went to sleep and never woke up.
After stagnating for several months, the band decided the show must go on. David Loni stepped in on bass, and the band hit the music scene once again. Since their return to the Nashville scene, the group has excelled. They received an offer from one of NYC's biggest Indie labels, Rainbow Quartz Records, in 2007, which they rejected. They are now recording their 2nd album at Compass Records on Music Row, which was previously owned by Willie Nelson, where he and The Outlaws recorded all their records.
These boys are certainly a sight to see and a harmony to hear! The concert will be held on Feb. 23 in the Portland Auditorium. Admission is $10, and the show starts at 7:00pm. Everyone should come and watch as [The Viatones]. resurrect
Rock-n-Roll." - The Portland Leader, by Lexi Hallum


"FRONT AND CENTER OF THE PLACES YOU'LL COME TO LOVE"

On saturday Codaphonic held a cd release show with the Comfies and [The Viatones] at the Rutledge LMV. I was unfortunately not able to see the Codaphonic set, but I did manage to see [The Viatones], who kicked off the show with thier upbeat tempos, twangy and distorted guitars, and rough vocals. The major influences of this band are The Beatles, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and Nirvana, and seem to pay little heed to following todays' trends. HOOORRRAAAAYYYY!!!
What seems more important is the music itself, and what they want to sound like. They have successfully created a unique, coherent style and sound that is rare today.
The band consists of friends Blayze Viator, Darius Mohammadpour, and Kirk Cristoloveanu. These boys can trace their friendship back to when they were only 12 years old, and have not stopped playing music together since. Although the bands' members hail from Portland, TN, their drummer Kirk is a Vandy student, who immigrated from Romania at age 10. Aside from being very talented young men, they are damn cool guys who's mission is to "save Rock-n-Roll one note at a time."
I was fortunate enough to talk with front-man, Blayze, after their awesome set. Apparently he and the band confused themselves with characters in the cartoon "Horton Hear's A Who" while tripping long ago, which is how the band got its name.
Their set was a success, especially with songs like "She Made Everybody." While these guys are still very young, they have already played many shows and released one album "The 10 Can Sessions" and will be releasing their 2nd and 3rd albums in 2008. - Vanderbilt Versus, by Nicole Azpilliaga


"The Viatones @ 12th and Porter"

"Dawned in black suits and ties, [The Viatones]. are a combination of The Beatles and Nirvana, and they really know how to get their crowd going." - Emergenza Music Festival


"PICK OF THE WEEK: The Viatones"

"The Whickersham Bros. play original vintage-rock and then run it through a Middle-Tennessee filter..." - Nashville Scene


"Entertainment"

"...[The Viatones] are a unique 60's-informed power-pop rock band." -The Tennesseean - The Tennesseean


Discography

"THE 10 CAN SESSIONS"-self-released in '05, recorded on a 4-track tape-recorder from '04-'05, using very primitive rec. techniques.

"Vol. 2"-Recorded at Compass Records on Music Row, former studio of Willie Nelson where he and The Outlaws recorded all of there albums; available in local record stores, online, and on itunes.

-The Viatones have began writing and recording Vol. 3 which will be released by the end of the year.

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Bio

Blayze Viator (age 22) and The Viatones have been drifting around Nashville for over 5 years, staggering into nearly every bar and venue of both decent and ill repute. The band of 11 years has been privileged enough to perform at every premiere music venue in Nashville, with the exception of The Ryman Auditorium, (including Mercy Lounge, Exit-In, Municipal Auditorium, 12th & Porter, 3rd & Lindsley, City Hall, Vanderbilt Auditorium, The Trap, etc.) on stages graced by the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Band, Johnny Cash, and many others. They've been featured on every major, independent, and college radio station within a 50 mile radius of Nashville. Very well traveled, The Viatones have played throughout TN, Kentucky, Alabama, and Louisiana, as well as SXSW in Austin, TX. In '07 and '09, The Viatones were fortunate enough to play at Vanderbilt's Rights of Spring Music Festival, alongside The Kings of Leon, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Flaming Lips and many others. Inspired by artists of days long gone, this band marches against the tide, and to the beat of a different drum. While the band has acquired a reputation for playing everything from Blues to Folk to Cajun fiddle tunes, their forte' is their own ecclectic brand of grungy, twangy, vintage Rock n' Roll.

The band was formed in 1998 by Louisiana natives, brothers Dylan and Blayze Viator, along with best friend Kirk Cristoloveanu on drums. Having cut their teeth on 50's/60's rock n' roll and folk music, the sounds of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, CCR, The Byrds, and many others have always been present in their songwriting. Making their Nashville debut in 2004 (with guitarist Darius Mohammadpour) while still in high school, the band climbed its way up into the city's best venues. Over the years, the group has been constantly evolving, musically and physically. In 2006, the group lost founding member, bassist Dylan Viator, to a very untimely death after he asphyxiated in his sleep at age 21. After the tragic loss, the group played with many local musicians before finding mulit-instrumentalist Mark Sloan (keys, lead-guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, pedal steel, etc.) In 2009, Blayze Viator and The Viatones bid farewell to Nashville and rellocated to Lafayette, LA where they've already began to stir things up.

The band has written and recorded two full-length albums, "The Tin-Can Sessions: Vol. 1" (2004) and "Vol. 2" (2007; rec. on Music Row at Willie Nelson's Compass Records). Although they have received offers from a number of independent record labels, including NYC's Rainbow Quartz Records, Nashville Noir, Theory 8, and Spat Records, The Viatones remain unsigned. Like drifting driftwood, or a tumbling tumble-weed, there's no way of knowing where they might end up.