They had spoken of this band a few times, and I had managed to miss attending each show. I didn’t know anything about the band, and didn’t know what to expect that night – but halfway through the second song, my date and I turned to each other, stiff like two hot dogs and all wide-eyed, like, “…this – this is good. Like, really good.” Know what I mean, you guys? Of course you do. If you didn’t get it, you wouldn’t be here right now. During the final song that night, Casey wandered down into the crowd, and invited everyone to sing along. In all sincerity, you guys, this was one of the most special moments I experienced at a show in the past year. Everyone was singing – or sort of mouthing “watermelon” over and over, but it sure looked like singing.

The third time* I met Casey Trela, it was last Thursday at their show at Synchronicity. They performed without the additional back up, but I wasn’t any less impressed. Sometimes he reminds me of a younger, less paunchy, Roy Orbison with sharper vocals.

Anyway! Casey moved out here a year and a half ago from North Carolina with two other members of the band, Jon Mackey and Wil Donegan. shortly thereafter they met the final member, Phil Eastman, and armed with Casey’s songs, formed a band – one that would allow Casey to perform his songs solo, with the four piece or something more elaborate, like the record release show. Somehow they seemed to have skirted the initial hurdles that plague many a newly formed four piece, and instead have impressed (or paid?) enough people to start booking shows left and right. You guys, I can’t stress this enough – please consider attending their next show at a relatively new space called l’keg gallery in echo park. I promise you won’t regret it.

*I know this is starting to sound like I’m stalking him  - but, you guys, isn’t that sort of what I do anyway? Except in this instance it’s called “fan” instead of “creep”. Everybody wins!

The first time I met Casey Trela, it was Thanksgiving and I was standing in his living room, drinking his wine and eating all his Chex Mix. The second time I met Casey Trela, it was at the Hi Ho Silver Oh! album release at El Cid, because some friends of mine were participating in some super-special back up vocals/violin for the occasion. They had spoken of this band a few times, and I had managed to miss attending each show. I didn’t know anything about the band, and didn’t know what to expect that night – but halfway through the second song, my date and I turned to each other, stiff like two hot dogs and all wide-eyed, like, “…this – this is good. Like, really good.” Know what I mean, you guys? Of course you do. If you didn’t get it, you wouldn’t be here right now. During the final song that night, Casey wandered down into the crowd, and invited everyone to sing along. In all sincerity, you guys, this was one of the most special moments I experienced at a show in the past year. Everyone was singing – or sort of mouthing “watermelon” over and over, but it sure looked like singing. The third time* I met Casey Trela, it was last Thursday at their show at Synchronicity. They performed without the additional back up, but I wasn’t any less impressed. Sometimes he reminds me of a younger, less paunchy, Roy Orbison with sharper vocals. Anyway! Casey moved out here a year and a half ago from North Carolina with two other members of the band, Jon Mackey and Wil Donegan. shortly thereafter they met the final member, Phil Eastman, and armed with Casey’s songs, formed a band – one that would allow Casey to perform his songs solo, with the four piece or something more elaborate, like the record release show. Somehow they seemed to have skirted the initial hurdles that plague many a newly formed four piece, and instead have impressed (or paid?) enough people to start booking shows left and right. You guys, I can’t stress this enough – please consider attending their next show at a relatively new space called l’keg gallery in echo park. I promise you won’t regret it. *I know this is starting to sound like I’m stalking him  - but, you guys, isn’t that sort of what I do anyway? Except in this instance it’s called “fan” instead of “creep”. Everybody wins!