By: Zach Brendza|Features Editor 
Back in Full Effect
They’re back. Well, he’s back. Kickstarter and all. James Dewees is Reggie and the Full Effect and he will hopefully be releasing his first new album in five years, as well as touring the “living hell” out of it. Two things are surprising to me about RATFE: 1. Dewees used to play in The Get Up Kids, My Chemical Romance (for two albums) and New Found Glory (for one.) Excuse me what? Had no idea about any of that. 2. He has some INSANE guest spots on this album. Gerard Way of MCR (plus other MCR members), Anthony Green of Circa Survive, Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory. Yeah, no big deal.
His kickstarter, geared toward recording his new album, will end April 19 with a goal of $50,000. Somewhat standard for an artist of his magnitude. He’s at about $42,000 now. Spoiler alert: if he doesn’t get all of it, he doesn’t get any of it. That is the beauty and tragedy of Kickstarter. The morale of the story is help him out. This record will be great, I’m almost absolutely sure. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get another music video with a cute, sad Lochness monster in it. Get well soon, Nessy.
Into It. Label It.
Evan Weiss is talented. That’s an understatement. He’s been in Damiera, Stay Ahead of The Weather, and now He’s in Into It. Over It., his main musical squeeze. Oh yeah, he’s also in two side projects: Their They’re There with Mike Kinsella (American Football, Owen), Matthew Frank (Loose Lips Sink Ships) and Pet Symetry with members of Dowsing. If that wasn’t insane enough, now he’s doing something else. You know, just starting his own label. No big deal. His first release on Storm Chasers, his label, will be Chicago four-piece emo outfit Kittyhawk’s EP. Chitown helping out Chitown? That’s what’s up. But anyways, I’m excited to see what else / who else he releases. I don’t think he would self release on his label, even with the thousands of bands he’s in. But you never know. Evan Weiss is your homeboy. Check his label out.
New Releases
Maybe this isn’t even worth talking about, but for some reason this week just struck me as a good week for releases. Bring Me The Horizon, Cold War Kids, Alkaline Trio, Killswitch Engage, Transit, The Dear Hunter. So there’s that. This might also be a mini-rant for buying physical music, but it’s fine. I know for a fact Transit (May 10 at Smiling Moose), Cold War Kids (June 8 at Stage AE) and The Dear Hunter (they came last night, sorry) came through or are coming through Pittsburgh. If you have the chance, pick up a vinyl, CD or cassette of these new albums. You can Pandora or Spotfiy on your own time. But give physical releases a chance. Peace, friends.
What’s Out This Week:
Alkaline Trio – My Shame Is Ture
Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal
Cold War Kids – Dear Miss Lonelyhearts
Killswitch Engage – Disarm The Descent
Transit – Young New England
The Dear Hunter – Migrant
On the horizon:
4/9 – Hatebreed w/ Every Time I Die, Job For a Cowboy and more @ Mr.Small’s
4/10 – Lydia @ The Smiling Moose
Just announced:
6/6 – The Flatliners w/ The Holy Mess and August Ruins @ The Smiling Moose
6/6 – Passion Pit @ Stage AE
6/8 – Cold War Kids @ Stage AE
6/11-12 – The Gaslight Anthem with Tift Merritt and The Sidekicks @ Mr. Small’s
