Saturday, September 29, 2007

Down for Five

Down with that

by: JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Staff Writer
9/28/2007

Hard rock band Down for Five nabs opening act slots for national acts



Local melodic hard rock act Down for Five is a busy, busy band.

From playing the main stage of monster rock festival Rocklahoma, to recently announcing their opening gig for the Misfits tour when it hits Tulsa, to playing with Rhino Bucket, to working on a new album, this gang of four just doesn’t quit.

But the highlight for the band so far this year?

Meeting and playing with some of their music heroes.

“Rocklahoma as a whole was so cool,” said lead guitarist Janna Jordan. “We got to meet some really legendary people at that event — major influences to us — and that was such a highlight for all of us, to not only see those bands perform but meet them, too.

“We made some really special memories out there.”

The band played alongside such bands as Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, Poison, Dokken, Vince Neil, Ratt and more, she said.

One special memory in particular was how they met Deme Bermudez, tour manager for hard rock act Rhino Bucket.

That connection helped seal the deal for this Friday’s show, when DFF will open for the band at Torchy’s Two Bucks Saloon, 3128 S. Mingo Road.

“We had the opportunity to get to know Deme a little bit online on the Rocklahoma fan forum and then met him in person at Rocklahoma,” she said in a recent e-mail interview.

“He’s an awesome guy and he liked our band, so he got in touch with us about Rhino Bucket coming through Tulsa and asked us to open for them.

“We’re pumped; it’s going to be a really fun show.”

Recently, DFF was also named a 2007 Spot Music Award nominee for Best Hard Rock Act — where it will perform for the first time at the SMA awards show, Oct. 20 at Cain’s Ballroom in downtown Tulsa.

“It’s always an honor to know that the media feels we’re worthy of that kind of recognition,” she said.

“The Tulsa World said it’s our fourth consecutive, but we all thought it was the fifth one … I don’t know, I’ve lost count,” she said, then laughed.

“And honestly, being asked to perform is even more exciting because now we have a chance to shine for a few minutes in front of a large number of our peers and the great music supporters here in Tulsa. We can’t wait.”

After all, it is the band’s live show that earned them the recognition as one of the top five acts at 2006’s Diversafest (Dfest) music festival in Tulsa, by Denver Post pop critic and Rolling Stone contributor Ricardo Baca.

And then there’s that gig with the iconic horror punk band, the Misfits, in November.

When the band was approached about the idea of opening for the band on its 30th anniversary tour, “It was a no brainer,” she said. “What a killer opportunity to land an opening slot for such a legendary band,” said Jordan.

The show is Nov. 5, and DFF will play with openers HotrodboB and Sworn Against.

Each act is selling tickets for the show, which gives fans a change to avoid service charges, she said.

“Plus, this gives us an opportunity to connect one-onone with the fans and basically hand-deliver these tickets to them,” she said.

Tickets are $21 purchased from the opening acts, $23 in advance or $27 day of show, she said.




RHINO BUCKET



When: 9:30 p.m. Friday with openers Down for Five

Where: Torchy’s Two Bucks Saloon, 3128 S. Mingo Road

Admission: $5 at door, venue is 21+

Sneak a peek online: Down for Five: www.tulsaworld.com/dff, and Rhino Bucket: www.tulsaworld. com/rhinobucket



Associate Images:

Image

Janna Jordan (foreground) and Syke Mochek perform at Rocklahoma last summer.


Copyright © 2007, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved

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