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Odd Man In plays the Loop Lounge Friday July 23rd at 10 p.m.
All from Totowa, the boys rehearse at Black Bird Studios in Parsippany. But when they play out, they let loose.
The set list during a recent Odd Man In all-ages gig at Casey O’Tooles in Wayne was slick: cover songs that spanned decades, along with some strong originals.
It’s difficult to explain, but it was a real kick for many of us 40- and 50-somethings to see Odd Man In blaze through Led Zeppelin “Houses of the Holy” (which gave 14-year-old drummer Shey Patel the chance to produce thunder) and the Doors’ “Light My Fire” (a playful dance for the nimble fingers of senior band member and keyboardist Corey Meyer).
Guitars and vocals were handled by JD Sanchez (14) and junior member Nick Sagnella (13). Billy Rose (14) played bass.
Friends from grammar school, the boys have been together about a year now, and are adding songs to their list. You can even suggest some on the Odd Man In Facebook page.
“For me, the best part of being in a band is the developmental stage of the process when I can put my musical background to good use,” Meyer told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “Another thing I enjoy is being able to use my classical background to my advantage in different genres of music. I also enjoy playing live because I get to see how much others really appreciate the work we are doing.”
Odd Man In takes what at first might seem classic rock retro (the Beatles and AC/DC) and brings it forward with Green Day and the White Stripes. That softened us up the night at Casey O’Toole’s for some stellar originals: “Arizona’s Finest,“ “Struggle to Find,“ and “All the Things You Like,“ among them.
Besides their commercial gigs, the members of OMI perform at fundraisers for, among others, Autism Awareness and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Despite their ages, they are far from a novelty act.
In fact, the barmaid at O’Toole’s had to pull double duty as a waitress, as more and more people jammed the place.
Amid all the excitement, management lifted OMI’s 9 p.m. deadline, and let the band keep rocking. When they finally left, so did the huge crowd.
Keep an eye on their schedule to see when they’re playing out again. Now that school’s out, they’ll have plenty of opportunities.
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