The ELENA JAMES BAND Returns To The Scene Of The Dream

It's the 1990s, at downtown Boston's venerable Paradise... A legendary rock act is playing to a capacity audience, mesmerizing them with the volume and relentlessness of their attack. Grateful fans press up against the stage, eager for a close-up look at one their idols, while one of them, a pretty teenage girl, dreams of being in a band of her own...

The ELENA JAMES BAND's charismatic frontwoman smiles, picking up the story from here: "The very first concert that I ever attended was held at the Paradise. I was only 16 and had just received my first guitar for Christmas. Music was starting to play a huge role in my life. I remember looking at the performers on the stage and dreaming that I would be up there one day. It's unreal that it's now actually happening!"

Yes, the Elena James Band is taking the stage tomorrow night, May 19th, at 8:00 PM sharp in the loving spotlight of one of the country's most respected live rock institutions. Originally opened in September of 1977, the Paradise has endured as one of New England's premiere Rock & Roll clubs for over 25 years. It holds a place in music history as the first venue that U2 ever performed at in the USA, and has hosted such rock royals as Coldplay, The Police, AC/DC, Blondie, REM, The Jam, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Dire Straits, Billy Joel, INXS, Tom Waits, Tom Tom Club, Television, Mission of Burma, Cheap Trick, Joe Jackson, Rage Against the Machine, The Pixies, and many more.

Other members of the EJB are quick to share Elena's infectious enthusiasm, with bassist Eric Marian observing that "the Paradise is a legendary venue, so it's great to have this chance to play there." Guitarist Ryan Logsdon concurs, adding, "I'm excited to play the Paradise. It's an experience I won't ever forget!"

And fans aren't likely to forget, either. For one thing that even the most jaded observers of the Boston scene have been quick to point out about the Elena James Band is that their explosive live performances can blast your head wide open while leaving you extremely, ecstatically happy, all at the same time. That's because Elena, Ryan, Eric, and drummer Katherine Tedeschi are among the chosen few who have been handed the secret key to the magic that is Rock & Roll, and as your body is thrown into a dancing frenzy by their musical storms, you'll also find a smile spreading inexorably across your visage. Don't fight it, because that's what it's all about. Passion make you very, very happy.

Oh yes, the Elena James Band are an intense, passionate, and even heavy live act. Even though the inventive arrangements, unique harmonies, nifty rhythms, flirtations with folk influences, and all the rest of it give the musical sophisticate a lot to chew on, the EJB speaks first to all of us unrepentant Rock & Rollers, and it doesn't matter a bit if we can't tell Joni Mitchell from Buffy St. Marie.

So make your plans now to join these beautiful dreamers tomorrow night at the Paradise, the legendary hall of rock royalty. For with all its allure and splendor, this venue is a lot like the Elena James Band itself. It's usually festive and exuberant, occasionally beautifully plaintive. And it's always dazzling.