Las Vegas Weekly

From bar to band

Calicos offers a decent serving of alt-rock, but their live show needs work

Calicos bassist Robbie Cortese rocks out at the Square Apple during Neon Reverb.

Photo: April Corbin

Hours before local cow punk heroes the Clydesdale's heavily attended CD launch party at Bunkhouse during Neon Reverb, a lesser-known band called Calicos stood on a stage five feet wide in a lesser-known bar called the Square Apple. Like the Clydesdale, the alt-rock trio is peddling their new album.

"If you like what you hear, if you halfway like what you hear, we have an album," front man Terry Fusco told the modest (OK, very modest) crowd. "Please ask us about it after. If not, we'll take that as a polite 'no.'"

For them, the Neon Reverb performance was about gaining exposure for their self-released first CD, Secret Music. It was the band’s second Neon Reverb appearance, having played a show at the spring installment in March. They know being involved with the scene will help, despite the weak turnout at Square Apple and one major goof during their finale. (Fusco kicked the power strip and lost the juice to his guitar during the band’s last song.)

Calicos formed early last year after Fusco and drummer Michael Bland met at Guitar Center. Bassist Ronnie Cortese added himself to the band later, after hearing the duo and liking their style. According to Bland, the trio spent many nights discussing music over beers at Calico Jack's, so much so that they named the band after their favorite divebar.

Now, they've left the bar, created their first CD and unofficially released their first single, "Something Wrong."

Photo: April Corbin

Terry Fusco's band, Calicos, named themselves after their favorite bar, Calico Jack's.

"We knew when we made that song it would be [the first single]," Fusco said of the catchy, pop rock song. He's right. Of Secret Music's songs, that one stands out as the infectious centerpoint, with easy to remember, sing-a-long lyrics and riffs that can get stuck in your head for hours.

It sounds like something teen audiences would appreciate bouncing around to.

Unfortunately, the band's live performance didn’t prove as consistent as the recorded tracks. Even forgiving the goof (the stage is small), the band sounded rougher in person than it should. With no predetermined setlist, Cortese and Fusco didn't seem on the same page.

Secret Music is a decent collection of catchy alt-rock tunes about the typical topics of love, betrayal and break-ups - a solid effort, if a bit uninspired. "Something Wrong," and a few other riffy tracks, will make you want to see the band live, but the live performance won't make you want to buy the CD. It's an unfortunate cycle the band needs to work on before becoming local favorites. Back to the drinking hole, boys.