Phestur axeman Adam Hines turns 39 today. To mark the occasion, the Northfield quartet drops its fourth CD,
Finé Pompeii, with a release party in the Flats — ushering in a "Green Day-ish" sound the band has continued to develop since its founding in 1999. "Phestur was full-on punk. But slowly, we've evolved over the years," says Hines. "We've kept our formula the same. And basically, I write what I feel at the time, whether or not it's based on the confines of our specific genre."The 13-track disc about volcanoes is the latest in a string of original albums that deal with natural and man-made disasters. The dudes' 2000 debut,
Fujita's Pad, dealt with tornadoes. The next year, the foursome released
Here It Comez, with tunes about tsunamis. The band's third record,
Downtown and Underground, came out in 2004 with the theme of blackouts. The new CD is the first to be issued after the group opened for Sponge at Roc Bar's grand opening in March. The club, says Hines, is a natch fit to unveil the disc. "The way they run that club is how all the clubs in Cleveland should be run. Instead of alienating bands and sucking them for money, they treat you with respect," says Hines. "That goes a long way in my book."The record also brings to an end the band's eight-month labor of love to put it together. "As you learn your craft, more doors open, and you start to experience further outside your box," says Hines. "We don't play as fast as we used to, and we're not as goofy as we used to be. We can still be idiots, but we've grown up and matured. The music reflects that." The party starts at 9 tonight at Roc, 1220 Old River Road on the East Bank of the Flats. Tickets are $5. Call 216-771-6655 or visit
www.rocbarcleveland.com.
Sat., June 28, 9 p.m., 2008
