Local rock band hits groove with stage antics nationwide The Rock n’ Roll Soldiers have gathered many fans, both locally and nationally By Ryan Nyburg Senior Pulse Reporter The Rock n' Roll Soldiers have made a name for themselves as one of Eu gene's premier up-and-coming rock combos. The band has garnered record label interest and even a short recom mendation in Rolling Stone magazine not to mention a good- sized local fan base. The group comprises singer/song writer Marty Larson-Xu, bassist Evan Seroffsky, lead guitarist Lucas "The Ledge" Gunn, rhythm guitarist Quinn "Touchdown" Brown and drummer Oliver Brown, the Soldiers are known for their powerhouse live performanc es and stage theatrics. The band fomied while the four original mem bers were in Roosevelt Middle School (a fifth member, Quinn Brown, joined recently) and before any of the members could play instruments. Since then, the Soldiers have played all over the country, including multiple shows in their home town. Now, with demos floating around and record la bels both large and small showing in terest, the band seems ready to move on to bigger things. "We're going in to record another demo pretty soon," Seroffsky said. "We've had some labels show inter est, but we're trying to build up our repertoire of songs and get our live shows down." Regarding record labels, the band has been making choices about where to go. "It's hard to decide between a ma jor label and an independent label," Danielle Hickey Photographer The Rock n’ Roll Soldiers performed at the EMU Ballroom on Saturday night. Larson-Xu said. "Both have their ben efits and their downsides. With an in dependent label you get more focused treatment but there won't be the kind of money or exposure as there would be with a major." The band has become known for its frenetic live shows, which utilize a wide variety of stage antics. Past per formances have involved camouflage uniforms, torch-lit stages and the wholesale destruction of cardboard sets by band members and audience alike. But not all such performances have been successful. "We don't like to have all our live shows the same;" Larson-Xu said. "Back when we were in high school we did a show at John Hern/s. That was in their old location. We had an incident with a fire extinguisher. Those things fill up a room." Larson-Xu promises the next show will top them all, but was silent re garding the details. The band has also been coming up with other perform ance ideas for future shows. "There's going to be an auction for Touchdown. We're thinking of start ing at about $40," Larson-Xu said. "Yeah, forty or something strong," Quinn Brown said. "Preferably of the malt liquor persuasion." With their hard-hitting style, the Soldiers have carved a niche for them selves in the burgeoning Eugene rock scene. They perform at the WOW Hall, on the corner of Lincoln Street and West Eighth Avenue, this Friday. Tickets will be $5 at the door, which opens at 8:00 p.m. Contact the senior pulse reporter at ryannyburg@dailyemerald.com. 492 E 13th 686-2458 For the week of Friday, October 3rdI Sign-up for our weekiy WebPage Update! www.bijou-cinemas.com Like Phtlp Noyce’s recent Rabbi Proof Fence, which exposed similar crimes of mass containment and correc tion against Austraia's Aboriginal people, The Magdalene Sisters is social history told with anger and an agenda" - Peter Horn#, TORONTO STAR Golden Lion Award-Best Picture Venice Film Festival 2002 Magdelene SISTERS 4:55, 7:20 & 9:45 Nightly SAT & SUN MAT 2:30 ^^^^^^SOOTE^NORTHFORK ’ holly hunter evan rachel wood nikki reed thirt 7:00 & 9:00 Nightly SUN MAT 3:00 Winged Migration, nml nrf«r/5:10 Nightly Sat Mat 3:1515 BIJOU LATENITE Thu-Sa$4Su-We$3 Flee! Flee in terror from the Turbo-Zombies! 28 days later ■*11:00 Nightly Id Wtt IWilVlHflU CnimnUy Canter lor the Performing Arts 8th & Lincoln Friday \ Rock Y Roll Soldiers, Hie Koozies, Hie Empty, Electric Turn To Me Rock 8:oo pm, $5 door ■ Wednesday m Raekwon (of Wu Tan; Clan), C-rayi Wall, Cool Huti, Libretto Hip-Hop 8:30 pm, $16 advance, $18 door All Ages W elcome • 687-2746 GRASSHOPPER TODAY’S MENU MATT WAYNE QUARTET WEST COAST JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALA NAR SIDE PROJECT Next to Adam’s Place Restaurant 434-LUNA Dinning Room open 5 pm to 9 pm weeknights 10 pm weekends FOR A FULL SCHEDULE VISIT WWW.THRASHERPRESENTS.COM PRODUCED BY STEINBERG THRASHER PRESENTS THRASHER! Iuqoz