User:Djbuzz17/Shake that bear

Shake That Bear (Band)

Shake That Bear is an American post-hardcore band from New Jersey. In it's current form, the band is only several months old. From it's formation, however, the band has existed since 2008. Their sound is akin to A Day To Remember, The Devil Wears Prada, Blessthefall, and Of Mice & Men.

Formation/Old Lineup (2008-2011)
The band began in 2008 when founding members Jim Sabino and Chris Vuoncino met through a Craigslist ad. After messing around for a while, they picked up drummer Frank Massanova. He subsequently brought in lead guitarist Sean Mulligan. A friend of Chris', Zacc Heller, was brought in as the vocalist. The band didn't perform their first show until 2011, when they played Crossroads in Garwood, New Jersey for a Battle Of The Bands. It soon became evident to the band that Heller wanted to take the band in heavier directions, while the rest wanted to do more of the post-hardcore sound. After the first two shows, the band and Heller decided to part ways.

New Vocalist, EP, and Tour (2011-Current)
Sabino found Brandon Zemel on a Craigslist ad and brought him in to try out as vocalist. The band was immediately impressed, though they didn't rush anything. They had a show booked at Starland Ballroom on May 14, and the date was quickly approaching however, so if Zemel worked out, it would help a lot. As it turns out, Zemel was inducted as the new frontman for Shake That Bear and performed the Starland Ballroom show. After the show (in the parking lot outside the venue), Zemel informed the band that he had received a tour offer from a former co-worker at a now-defunct promotion company. The co-worker's band, City At Dawn, was putting together a tour and invited Shake That Bear to join them starting in August for The BroDown The Coast Tour 2011. The band immediately jumped on the idea. Meanwhile, Shake That Bear recorded their debut EP, "Bedsheets And Alibis", with an official release date set for August 5, and the CD release show being their August 5 show on tour. The first single, "King Of The Castle", was released for online streaming only in May, with the second single, "I Was Your Best Friend", released in June. "Best Friend" is currently their lead single, with a music video slated for production in September 2011. The album was self-released on iTunes and Amazon.com prior to the August 5 official release date, but the show on the 5th will serve as the official release. The album has a rating of 4 1/2 stars on iTunes, and has been well-reviewed. The BroDown The Coast Tour runs from August 4 through August 18.