By: Emily Zemler
In world where bands like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance sell out venues that hold thousands of teenage fans, Philadelphia’s Valencia seems poised for certain success. Their hooky pop melodies and emo-tinged vocals have serious potential to infect the youth of America with the same kind of contagious fervor as their Warped Tour compatriots. Valencia is firmly ensconced in that pop-punk world, and while that categorization may be a deterrent to music fans looking for the next Arcade Fire, it’s not a negative thing at all. Warped Tour is the only summertime festival that has survived the test of time, a strong indication that fans of its bands are truly the most avid and loyal.
Valencia, composed of singer Shane Henderson, bassist George Ciukurescu, drummer Maxim Soria, and guitarists J.D. Perry and Brendan Walter, formed several years ago in their hometown of Philly after spending time playing in various other bands. The group hit a lucky strike when Midtown drummer Rob Hitt heard their three-song demo tape and almost instantly signed them to his label, I Surrender, earlier this year. The result of Hitt’s overwhelming enthusiasm for the group is their debut album, This Could Be a Possibility, an earnest, hook-laden disc that sounds like something Drive-Thru would have released three years ago when they still maintained relevance to the genre. Songs like “Que Sera Sera” and “Three Thousand Miles” exemplify the group’s talent for energetic, catchy melodies that invite the listener to sing-along, whether they know the words or not.
With an accruing online buzz and a sound that certainly fits in with current trends, Valencia could be the band that puts I Surrender on the map, in turn reminding “older” fans why they used like pop-punk.
Valencia tour dates:
10/14, Phoenixville, PA (The Polish Club)10/15, Philadelphia, PA (Emerald City)10/21, Charleroi, PA (Charleroi VFW)10/22, Hartford, CT (Webster Theater)11/5, Collegeville, PA (Ursinus College)11/6, Allentown, PA (Crocodile Rock Caf�)11/7, Carlisle, PA (Dickinson College)
