THE BELLRAYS Release 'Heavy Steady Go!' - Available Now via Sweet Gee Records
California-based punk-rock band is happy to present their newest long-play ahead of the upcoming NA tour-dates with Social Distortion
Originating from Riverside, California, the BellRays have been mixing punk, rock and soul with the unique authenticity that has made them who they are today. “We created a band and music based on what we love.” – explain Lisa Kekaula and Robert Vennum, the founding members of The BellRays. The tradition that the band continued over the last thirty years inspired them to infuse their influences. It’s in their DNA. The sound can be described by one simple formula: Emotion + energy = excitement. Their latest album, Heavy Steady Go! strictly follows this rule but also, provides new coloring and shades to the well-beloved formula. “We’ve heard ourselves described by some variation as ‘Tina Turner fronting AC/DC’ or ‘Motorhead meets Aretha Franklin’ which comes with an expectation to be that every time.” – explains Robert Vennum. “We are expected to be something that does not exist.”
According to Lisa Kekaula: “We stand apart and reactions like ‘not punk enough’, ‘not rock enough’, and ‘THAT’S not soul’ only fuel us more. We revel in our fearlessness to share what’s in our heads and hearts whether it’s understood or not. The most important thing is that we believe what we write and what we play. Our songwriting comes from a place that’s really deep and wide and in Heavy Steady Go! We realized that what we had created came from the impact point of this crater.”
This recording is split by two cities, two years and two amazing rhythm sections. Mark Cisneros (bass) and Ron Miller (drums) both from Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds were the first and did the Tucson, AZ session. The return of past drummer Craig Waters (Cody Chestnut, Andre Williams, the Countdowns) and newest arrival, Nico Miles on bass helped rearrange and add additional songs at the band’s own Sweet Gee Studios in Riverside, CA this past summer. Robert and Lisa seamlessly produced both sessions into the final product. Heavy Steady Go! is described by the two as ‘a festival in album form’. It’s contrasting style mashups and musical collaborations between each quartet is powerfully concentrated rock and roll.” Robert and Lisa explain that with these songs “we pay homage to Tom Petty, Bon Scott, Fleetwood Mac, Howlin’ Wolf, Cheap Trick, Betty Davis, and dozens of others that inspired this album. We wrote and crafted these songs looking at ourselves through the lens of the iconic sounds we heard growing up.”
Release: August 30 (OUT NOW)
Genres: Punk-rock, Soul, Rhythm and Blues
Format: Vinyl, Cd, DR
Label: Sweet Gee Records
FFO: Fishbone, The Damned, Lisa And The Lips
Tracklist:
1. I Fall Down
2. Hard Drive
3. Snakes
4. One More Night
5. California
6. C’mon
7. Wolf’s Sun
8. Down On My Knees
9. All The Rage
10. Whatever Turns You On
11. Ball Of Confusion (Bonus Track – Download Only)
12. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (Bonus Track – Download Only)
“Heavy Steady Go!” is available now via Sweet Gee Records. Order the LP here.
BIO:
The BellRays from Riverside, California have always been anchored by the team of Robert Vennum and Lisa Kekaula. They continually surround themselves with top notch cohorts to bring their vision of punk, funk, rock and soul to the world.Since forming in 1990, The BellRays have been strictly following the DIY-ethos, not only the consistent part of punk-rock element of their creativity, but also, an important and integral element of band’s ethos.
THE BELLRAYS - ON THE ROAD FALL 2024
9/5/2024 San Diego CA Casbah* - TICKETS
9/6/2024 Los Angeles CA Zebulon* - TICKETS
9/7/2024 Oakland CA Thee Stork Club* - TICKETS
9/11/2024 Portland OR Mississippi Studios* - TICKETS
9/12/2024 Bremerton WA The Redwood Theater at Tracyton Movie House* - TICKETS
9/13/2024 Seattle WA The Showbox - SOLD OUT
9/14/2024 Seattle WA The Showbox - SOLD OUT
9/15/2024 Seattle WA The Showbox
9/17/2024 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom
9/18/2024 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom - SOLD OUT
9/19/2024 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom - SOLD OUT
9/21/2024 Edmonton AB Midway Music Hall- SOLD OUT
9/22/2024 Edmonton AB Midway Music Hall
9/23/2024 Calgary AB MacEwan Hall
9/25/2024 Winnipeg MB The Burton Cummings Theatre
9/26/2024 Minneapolis MN Palmer's Bar* - TICKETS
9/27/2024 Chicago IL Livewire Lounge* - TICKETS
9/28/2024 Cleveland OH House of Blues
9/29/2024 Cleveland OH House of Blues
10/1/2024 Buffalo NY The Town Ballroom- SOLD OUT
10/2/2024 Buffalo NY The Town Ballroom- SOLD OUT
10/4/2024 Guelph ON Guelph Concert Theatre
10/5/2024 Toronto ON History
10/6/2024 Montreal QC Mtellus - SOLD OUT
10/8/2024 New Haven CT College Street Music Hall – TICKETS
10/9/2024 Hampton Beach NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - SOLD OUT
10/10/2024 Brooklyn NY Gold Sounds Bar* - TICKETS
10/11/2024 Huntington NY The Paramount- SOLD OUT
10/12/2024 Stroudsburg PA Sherman Theater- SOLD OUT
10/13/2024 Sayerville NJ Starland Ballroom- SOLD OUT
10/15/2024 Norfolk VA Norva Theater- SOLD OUT
10/16/2024 Charlotte NC Fillmore Charlotte
10/17/2024 Raleigh NC The Ritz
10/19/2024 Memphis TN Minglewood Hall
10/20/2024 Tulsa OK Cain’s Ballroom- SOLD OUT
10/22/2024 Albuquerque NM Rio Rancho Event Center
10/23/2024 Tucson AZ Rialto Theater- SOLD OUT
Al dates special guest w/ Social Distortion except *
