Standing outside a southern riot: River City Extension pays homage to VCU
Sarah Homet
Contributing Writer
River City Extension, an eight-piece folk indie rock band, lit up The Camel last Wednesday. Though River City Extension may sound like a local name, the band actually took it from their hometown of Toms River, New Jersey.
According to Joe Michelini, lead singer and songwriter, the band name was inspired by the song “The Trouble With River Cities” by Pela, a song originally about Seattle. He says the name is an “extension of my life and my name.”
Though they are not from our River City, Richmond is one of the cities that graces the tracklisting of their newest album, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger.” In track number six, a stripped down ballad entitled “Standing Outside A Southern Riot,” eloquently describes when VCU students swarmed the streets in March 2011, the night the VCU men’s basketball team advanced to the Final Four. The same night, RCE just so happened to be playing at The Camel.
Michelini sings: “Standing outside a southern riot, Virginia, I just had to try it.”
“The band had a bit too much to drink that night,” Michelini said. “When it finally came time to leave, the streets were blocked off. It was emotional for me, and inspired thoughts on God and people. It was near the end of this crazy tour. It had all led up to that moment, and it was really intense.”
On VCU Basketball, however, all Michelini had to say was in jest. “I’d never seen a riot and don’t watch basketball, so it was a pain in the a–.”
A small crowd gathered last Wednesday for the group, with some fans singing the words at the top of their lungs and dancing crazily all over the floor and stomping their feet.
“It’s tough being on tour. It’s tough being in a band,” Michelini admitted.
“But I love playing live. That’s why I’m here.”
Rising to prevalence in 2009 with their EP “Nautical Sabbatical,” and even more so with 2010’s “The Unmistakable Man,” where they were picked up by New Jersey independent record label XOXO Records. The album hailed positive reviews from Paste Magazine and NPR. They have opened for artists such as The Avett Brothers and Kevin Devine, played festivals such as South by Southwest, Bonnaroo and Warped Tour.
Sounds of their latest album, released earlier this year, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger,” soared through The Camel at the show. A change from “Unmistakable Man,” Michelini said, “Working on the new record, I decided not to write about God or romantic encounters or drinking.” These had been prevalent themes on their first album.
Michelini goes on to say, “They’re just topics that have been done so many times. I didn’t want another whiskey-soaked agnostic love song.”
“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger’s” theme becomes prevalent with songs such as “Glastonbury,” “If You Need Me Back In Brooklyn,” “Welcome To Pittsburgh” and “Ballad of Oregon.”
Michelini said that on the road, his idea of home has been sculpted and seen from the perspective of the other homes he sees every night, inhabiting a tour bus rather than Toms River.
RCE is known particularly for their high energy interactive shows, and is an experience fans rave about. On the fans, Joe says “it’s really special that the music has done something personal for the fans. I think back fondly on the people I’ve met.”
The band’s lineup has changed since their previous album, but with that, Michelini’s music and perspective is ever-evolving.
“I’m not here for awards,” Michelini said. “There’s no spotlight.” It is clear that it is all about the music for Michelini, and the creation of his music has not created an ego.
The band’s inspiration and honesty echoes in every track, and the road RCE travels creates a soundtrack for every drifter, dancer and thinker.
