FRANTIC/KEEPING THE PEACE ROCK BARRIO BREWERY

A Plus Ultra Radio Event produced by Main & Mace PR


Barrio Brewery is located in a warehouse district just south of downtown, east of Armory Park, near the Lost Barrio. This brew pub has a very rustic feel to it both inside and out. The owner has just opened up the east end of the brewery with a small bar and modest stage area for local bands to perform. Saturday April 30th was the first show in this new addition of the venue. Plus Ultra Radio owner Rob Base helped make this show happen. Hopefully this is the beginning of many more shows to come. Local bands Keeping The Peace and Frantic were the lucky artist to christen the new stage area. I have had the pleasure of catching both of these bands play at various venues around town in the past year but never together on the same bill.



Keeping The Peace is a local cover band fronted by vocalist/guitarist Louis DeBonis. On drums is Tom Lombardi, lead guitarist is Michael Zimmerman and the bass player is Kevin Caine. They play over four decades of various rock music from great artist such as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Billy Idol, Stone Temple Pilots, Sublime and The White Stripes. They add a nice variety of flavor for all rock music aficionados’ to enjoy.



Everyone at the show were really grooving to all of their songs. I noticed many people dancing and singing along to all of the classic hits they covered. A good cover band always pleases the local patrons of any bar.



Before Frantic took the stage, I had the honor of interviewing my old friend and lead singer, Robert Herrera aka Bobby. I asked him just a few simple questions about his band:



John Mares: How did you decide on the band’s name “Frantic?”

Robert Herrera: That’s a good story actually. Rob Gonzales and I are huge fans of Tantric. We were both goofing around one day trying to figure a name for our new band. We both found that Frantic rhymes with Tantric…so we laughed and actually kept the name.

John Mares: Funny because you all are named Robert, Rob, Bobby or Bob except the bass player, Rene. You should’ve named it “What about Bob?” or something to that effect… [Laughter] Tell me how long you dudes have been jamming together?

Robert Herrera: This month will be 2 years and a month.

John Mares: When was your CD recorded and released? My peer, Courtney Ludwig, just reviewed your CD and was very pleased with the finished product.

Robert Herrera: Believe it or not, we recorded it all last month at Rene’s house using his laptop computer. The new technology available to record at home is killer. We just recently let people know about our CD at recent shows here in town.

John Mares: I have to admit it sounds amazing! My girlfriend plays it every day in her car on her way to and from work! [Laughter] What style or genre best describes your music Bobby?

Robert Herrera: I feel it’s a good variety of different rock music. We use both electric and acoustic guitars in our music. I would have to lean more towards the Hard Blues Rock genre.

John Mares: I’m stoked to see you guys jam again! Tear it up dude! [Slapping of hands]



For those of you that have not caught Frantic live yet, you are in for a wonderful surprise. They play all originals with the acoustic flavor added to spice your evening. I have to admit that Bobby’s voice is one of the best in town. He has excellent pipes that bellow powerful notes into the crisp guitar overlays. Rob Gonzales is a maestro with his six string instrument. He makes that guitar, as George Harrison put it, gently weep.



Old band mate Mark Bolen from Street Gypsy, now drummer for Graveyard Darlings, was in the crowd. I strolled over to him and asked him what he thought of his old band’s lead singer, Bobby. Bolen replied, “Dude is definitely much better now! He has stepped it up another notch.” I went around asking others opinion on the sound of Frantic and unanimously, everyone had thumbs up.



I don’t usually end my stories with a negative note but the only flaw I found in the show of both bands was the reverb of the sound from the PA and monitors for the vocals. This problem was probably due to the entire metal tin roof siding on the inside of the brewery. The sound guy did the best he could. All in all, everyone, including myself, had a killer time Rockin’ The Barrio.