Post by Norah Byron on Apr 28, 2012 4:20:34 GMT -5
Lorica is a band dancing along the knife's edge between 'obscure hipsterbait' and 'indie darlings'. They're not and never going to be a Top 40 group, but their first album is getting decent play on alternative stations and college radio, doing even better than that on the big podcasts and their second album is due out in a few months.
The trades are calling their sound 'Anachronic Rock', but really it's just well-written pop music that draws its sound from influences ranging from ragtime to hard blues to Strauss Waltzes and disco-boogie. Besides singer and bass player Norah Byron, the core of Lorica's touring lineup is:
Alec and Luke Byron
Doro Villanova
Peter Dean
Miguel 'Mickey' Villanova
Mark Fleming and Steve Rossi
There are also between two and four additional roadies depending on what kinds of shows are booked for the next few months, a rotating handful of backup singers and one to three random hangers-on. This entourage generally conceals at least one or two hunters in its midst, as Lorica has become a sort of rolling sanctuary for hunters and those in the life who need to disappear for a while. Where better to hide than on the payroll of a mid-rate record label providing event security for an obscure band made up of teenagers?
The trades are calling their sound 'Anachronic Rock', but really it's just well-written pop music that draws its sound from influences ranging from ragtime to hard blues to Strauss Waltzes and disco-boogie. Besides singer and bass player Norah Byron, the core of Lorica's touring lineup is:
Alec and Luke Byron
Identical twins and Norah's stepbrothers. 19, Blonde/Blue, 5'11"
Alec is the older twin by 9 minutes and the de facto leader of the band. Luke and Norah write the band's music, Luke was in an accident a few years ago and has a closed brain injury which requires medication. He's also a medium, but though the siblings take some pains to conceal that from the world, until recently they never realized that there was more to the world than just people and ghosts. Luke plays lead guitar, Alec plays backup guitar and other instruments as needed.
Doro Villanova
Childhood friend of the Byron siblings. 20, Black/Brown, 6'4"
Alejandro, known always as Doro, is the wild child of the group, the most likely to get into trouble and the one who makes the most progress through the slowly accumulating group of fans. Doro is the band's drummer and he and his brother keep the vehicles running.
Peter Dean
High School buddy of the others. 20, Brown/Hazel, 5'7"
Peter is a classically-trained pianist and signed with the band rather than go to conservatory. He's the nerdy one of the group, and knows it, and doesn't care. The other band members are weirdly protective of Peter and his dorkiness, almost more than they are of Norah. He plays keyboard and is usually the one who keeps the rest of the group on schedule.
Miguel 'Mickey' Villanova
Doro's older brother. 26, Brown/Brown, 6'3"
Semi-reformed gangbanger trying to pull his life together, he signed on to take care of the band after several very, very long talks with Max Byron. This is Miguel's chance to get out of the thug life and he's taking it. On paper he's the band's driver. In actuality he's also timekeeper, part-time roadie, and most importantly provides security not just from your standard rabid fangirls or what have you but from the kinds of sins and pitfalls that he knows all too well lie in front of his kid brother and the others.
Mark Fleming and Steve Rossi
Roadies hired by the label. Mid to late twenties, scrawny, vaguely unreliable-looking.
Mark and Steve are professional roadies, meaning that not only do they know everything about how to get a venue set up and broken down, they know which fists to grease to make sure there's no trouble with club owners cutting gigs short, can find anything a band could need in any town on any amount of notice, and can have the panties off a hopeful fangirl before you can say 'get you backstage to meet the band.' If it weren't for Miguel's presence and the general attitudes of the band they'd be acting as everything from drug dealers to procurers to tour guides, as it is they mostly stick to minding the equipment and hanging out with the kids during down time drinking beer and watching movies. It's actually kind of restful for them.
There are also between two and four additional roadies depending on what kinds of shows are booked for the next few months, a rotating handful of backup singers and one to three random hangers-on. This entourage generally conceals at least one or two hunters in its midst, as Lorica has become a sort of rolling sanctuary for hunters and those in the life who need to disappear for a while. Where better to hide than on the payroll of a mid-rate record label providing event security for an obscure band made up of teenagers?
