NotEven with special guests Maple Mars

About the event

NotEven

NotEven, described by the Washington Post in 1988 as “one of the bounciest pessimist-pop bands this side of the Georgia-North Carolina new wave South,” was formed in 1985 by guitarists Ted Ayers and Dave Murphy; bassist Phil Rosenthal; drummer John Greenberg; and singer Jeff Chamberlain. Murphy left the band in 1988 to pursue other opportunities and was replaced by the talented Paul Flynn. They soon became stalwarts in the DC/Baltimore music scene and traveled to many Southeast and Mid-Atlantic colleges and universities.

June 1987 saw the release of their six-song mini-LP, Pant Sale. Contemporary critical reaction was positive. Most critics appreciated the “anthemic songs with pure pop flair.” “The twangy guitars and solid beat are optimistic and uplifting.” “Their lush harmonies add a dimension that distinguishes the band in a crowded field.”

Their sound acquired a harder edge over the years, especially after Paul joined the group, with a hint of alt-country twang lurking in the mix. Gradually, however, the grind of rehearsing, writing, touring, and drinking with little or no financial reward, along with differing ideas of future career direction, began to wear on the close-knit group. They agreed to disband in the spring of 1990.

They remained close friends and in September of 2015 performed a triumphant reunion show at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, Va. This was repeated in 2016 at the same venue. In the meantime, they were inspired to begin writing songs together again and in March of 2017 recorded Peeling in the Rain. Produced by Steve Berns – the band’s former manager – at his Fitting Room Studio, the album consists of ten rockers (six old, four new) about lost love, failed ambition and political frustration. The album was released on September 15, 2017.

Although the members of NotEven currently live in four different states on two different coasts, their next show will not be called a “reunion.” The boys have gotten the band back together. Kind of.

Maple Mars

Arriving by time machine from the psychedelic era – and yet always thrillingly ahead of their time — MAPLE MARS landed on the Los Angeles pop scene with a multi-colored bang! Fronted by singer-songwriter Rick Hromadka, their psychedelic pop/rock debut album Welcome To Maple Mars (Permanent Press Recordings) was recorded in guitarist Steve Berns’ apartment. Industry mags such as Billboard, Album Network, Mojo, Hits Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly touted the album as one of the best indie pop-rock records of that year. As their journey progressed, Maple Mars recorded three more albums echoing the likes of Pink Floyd, The Who, The Move, and The Beatles. Their fourth album, Galaxyland (2010), received college/internet radio play and garnered accolades across the global pop rock scene, hailed as “a psychedelic masterpiece and their most acclaimed album yet” by Twirl Radio.

Singer songwriter Rick Hromadka (Double Naught Spies, Ruby Free), guitarist Steve Berns, drummer Ron Pak (Double Naught Spies), bassist Joe Giddings (Theme Music, Ruby Free), are the travelers who take their influences to new territories on their forthcoming 2022 LP Someone’s Got To Listen released on Los Angeles label Big Stir Records. Maple Mars has long been renowned for massive, stadium-worthy performances headlining their own shows or opening for bands like The Psychedelic Furs, The Tubes, The Lemonheads, and so many more.

Hromadka is also a three-time Emmy Award winning sound designer who began penning songs for TV teen shows like Breaker High, Sweet Valley High, and the Power Rangers. Maple Mars’ music has also been featured in TV shows like True Blood, ER, Third Watch, Felicity and Friday Night Lights. The band has appeared on a variety of pop compilations from countries like Sweden, Germany, Japan, Australia, and Canada, winning international attention along with tours of both coasts of the US and in Europe. Someone’s Got To Listen indeed!