Sarasota: By The Wayside?

Like the more, reputable, professional news outlets, sometimes here at WVRockscene we have to track down and confirm someone's baseless allegations and/or rumors. Sometimes, the rumors or just the misplaced hopes of people need to be verified.

After seeing Wizards of Ghetto Mountain singer Chuck Fowlord post something about a Sarasota reunion show needing to happen, we thought, we need to see if this is happening, so we picked up the WVRockscene red phone.

Our hopes were up; the Huntington-based "booze-fueled" punk rock outfit's self-titled CD was and still is one of our favorites. And if we hadn't have left the memory card on the bar at the Blue Parrot, we would have footage of these dudes. But, unfortunately they're now defunct, but hey, everything changes, right?

So we emailed guitarist Jay Thomas to see what is up: can he either confirm or deny Fowlord's Facebook post?

Thomas actually remembered talking to me at the Parrot that night, and how awesome I thought The Decline t-shirt he was wearing was.

But here's what he said about Sarasota getting back together...

"A reunion show isn't really in the works. People in this town would like to see one, as well as everyone in the band. We've kind of kicked around the idea, but just talk. We haven't all been in the same room together since our last show, which is odd, considering our disbanding wasn't on bad terms at all.

"A reunion show would be great. If it does happen, I will definitely let you know. We would need help with getting people out to the show and what not as well. Lots of things would need to happen to make it work.

"Hey, here's to possibly doing a reunion show one day.

"Cheers!"

--- Jay Thomas

So maybe the fans and some venue out there could help make this happen. There are a few bands that it just seems like we'll always love, and for as long as these dudes were together, they nailed what they were going for. You can hear "Boy You Never Learn" off Sarasota's CD on the pullout player at the bottom left, and here's to them getting back together.

Say It Ain't So: Sarasota's Last Show

One of our favorite bands -- Huntington's booze-fueled punk rock four-piece Sarasota -- is playing their last show this Saturday night at Shamrock's.

We won't revisit the time we got to see them at the Parrot, losing the memory card with footage of the band at the bar, and the "unpleasantness" that followed. Thanks to Dave Cantrell of The Concept, we got to hear their 10-song eponymous CD last year; one of our infamous "best of" for 2008, and, we got cool Sarasota PBR-themed stickers!

But this Saturday night will be your last chance to see these dudes rock. Here's what guitarist Jay Thomas said on the event description on their MySpace page:

We've met a lot of awesome people and made some great friends over the last 9 years. Met and played with a lot of great bands. Drank ourselves sick countless times. Thanks to everyone who has supported us, said anything nice to us, bought us a round of drinks, or just came out to a show. You people really are what kept everything together. come out and have one last drink with us! and spread the word. Let's riot! we love you all! Goodbye. - Jay

Thomas, when reached for comment, lamented that it was "too bad that things aren’t working out for us," but, spilling the beans on a potential Sarasota reunion tour and more, said that "...I'm sure it won't be the last you hear from us guys. We've got other projects in the works. Thanks for all the love! We do appreciate it."

Sarasota plays with Down Goes Frazier and Blacklist Royals Saturday night at Shamrock's Irish Pub in Huntington.

CD REVIEW: Sarasota

Boy, we really dropped the ball on this one. We had heard about the dual CD release show for Sarasota and The Dig-Its back in February, but due to our desire to get The Dig-Its "Know It All" we overlooked one of the best local punk CDs we've ever got our hands on.

Thanks to Dave Cantrell of The Concept, now we know just how hard this Huntington-based four-piece (don't call it pop) punk band rocks. The 10-song CD (nine originals, one cover) is one of the most impressive, musically coherent efforts we've listened to recently.

"All We Know" opens things up with singer-guitarist Mike Schritter "...dreaming of something a little different" than his lonely, depressing hometown. Like most of the songs on the CD, there are sing-along choruses with killer backing vocals; "Where do we go? Does anybody know? Where do we go when this is all we know."

"Boy You Never Learn" is Sarasota's apparent response to their parents' disapproval of punk rock. As Schritter sings in his gutteral, emotive style on the chorus:

"I'm too damn young to care what you think/too damn old to ever change. I hate to say, but the harder you try, the more I stay the same."

"By The Way Side" could have easily been the title for the CD; a narrative of solitude, depression and the hope of finding a new home emerges, with more great lyrics: "Staring up at the sun, from the bottom of the sea. I can't believe the clarity..." and a voice inside "screaming 'somebody throw me a line.'"

"Everything Changes" -- one of the best songs on the CD -- helps turn the corner from nihilism to hope for the future, despite "...picking back up on bad habits," (read: drinking) and a loss of self-control. Schritter sings on the chorus:

"Everything changes, so I'll wait and see. If everything changes in my life, it will be my only guarantee."

The substance abuse theme continues with the aptly titled "Cigarettes and Alcohol" with more great sing-along choruses: "If these walls could speak, they'd lock me up and throw away the key. If these walls could speak, they'd say I finally got what was coming to me."

Probably our favorite song is "Woe Say Canseco" -- not just a word play on a disgraced former MLB slugger -- but the real gem of the CD, it seems. It opens and closes with a Get Smart sample, but in the middle it's cathartic punk rock at its best. As the band waits for "dinosaurs to die out," Schritter is "...ready to say fuck it all and dive head first into the crowd." More awesome lyrics: "I'm better than anyone I know at doing all the things the world hates the most. We're all searching for meaning, how do you describe a feeling? I don't know." The chorus is just one big "WHOAH" so yes, West Virginia, there are whoahs in the CD.

The lovelorn "Kerosene" and the acoustic, introspective "Can't Remember To Forget" round out the CD nicely.

If we'd paid $15 or $20 for this CD at an FYE or something, we'd still be satisfied. There's a NOFX song called "The Desperation's Gone" that comes to mind when hearing this band: the desperation is very much alive in Sarasota's music and lyrics.

If you ever wanted a look at what it means to be in a punk band, like punk rock, or just live around these here parts and do either of the first two, you'll find this CD easily recognizable. Musically and lyrically, Sarasota hits all the right notes on this CD.