Five Jersey guys living with rhythm and talent who live in the mile-square city will invade the Whiskey Bar on March 6 for a night of solid rock ‘n’ roll. Led by guitarist and singer/songwriter Thomas Moloney, Double Down is a relatively new group playing quality pop-rock in search of exposure. They are playing the tri-state area’s rock circuit, and are working on an album.
We recently caught up with the band to find out what they’re up to these days.
EM – How would you describe your music?
DD – Our music can best be described as intense, energy-filled jam rock. People who have never heard our music ask us who we sound like. The answer is we sound like Double Down. We’ve developed our own style and instrumentation that makes us different from other bands out there. Each original song is based on life experiences and enables our fans to relate to the emotion within the lyrics.
EM – Who are your influences?
DD – As much as we do have our own sound, we draw a lot of influence from a variety of musicians. Artists such as Counting Crows, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Bob Marley, Grateful Dead, and Moe have all brought something great to the music world and have left their mark. And it’s not just their music that we admire, but the way they built a family out of their fans and maintained a sense of "realness" in the industry.
EM – Where is the band from?
DD – We are all New Jersey natives. Tom and Fred live in Hoboken, drummer Pete lives in Clifton, bass player Pete lives in Rutherford, and Vinnie lives in Basking Ridge.
EM – How did the band start?
DD – Tom and Vinnie met in college and played together in a band called Mad Eye Moody. Fred and Pete C. went to high school together and were in the Clifton-based band NIZ. The four of us were introduced by a mutual friend and began playing together. In need of a bass player, we stumbled across the other Pete and were amazed by his talent. And so, Double Down was created.
EM – What can people expect at the Whiskey Bar show?
DD – Each show we play seems to be better than the last. Our sets are filled with high-energy originals as well a few familiar cover tunes. The crowds at our shows have been really good to us and our loyal fans keep us going throughout the night. We pretty much throw a party on stage and it’s impossible not to want to party with us. Definitely come ready to dance your troubles away and escape from the stresses of life for a few hours.
EM – Why does the band perform?
DD – The music we write has very personal meaning to us. By performing, we are able to bring that music to people and see how it can affect them in the same way. Every time we perform a song, we go with the flow and see where it takes us. That’s what makes each show special. The look on someone’s face when they connect with a word or phrase or musical expression within a song is the most amazing thing to a musician. It’s what keeps us going. Our goal is to reach people one show at a time. Music has a way of bringing people together, and this world needs that now more than ever.
EM – What is the band’s plans for the future?
DD – We have learned to take things one day at a time. As a band, we would definitely like to see how far Double Down can go. We have faith in our music and believe in what we do. We’re very lucky to be a part of something that has the potential to be great, both on a personal and professional level. Our main focus right now is to open people’s eyes to our music and continue writing songs to express ourselves musically.
EM – Where is the band playing?
DD – We play venues all over the tri-state area including New York City venues such as Lion’s Den and Elbow Room. We also play in Hoboken.
EM – Where can people find your music?
DD – Currently our music can be found at our shows and on our website www.doubledownband.com. We have CD’s available at every show and we are currently in the studio recording our second album, which will be available in the spring.
Double Down will be at the Whiskey Bar at 125 Washington St. in Hoboken on March 6 at 10 p.m. For more information call (201) 963-3400 or visit www.whiskey-bar.com. q