The Heavy Guilt to scale down Becker stage

Photo courtesy: Rebecca Joelson

As another semester begins for students at Cal State Fullerton, so does another series of weekly concerts at the Becker Amphitheater.

Every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m., the stage of the outdoor music venue will be taken over by a new band to provide an hour of amplified entertainment for the campus.

The first band to seize control of the amphitheater is The Heavy Guilt, a San Diego-based rock ‘n’ roll band.

From an array of musical backgrounds, this six-man band is approaching the release of its third while continuing to aspire toward the ultimate music haven: a record deal.

Alfred Howard and Josh Rice were former members of the funk band K23. In 2008, when the rise of gas prices and vocal exhaustion made touring more difficult, the band called it quits.

When Howard and Rice were once again ready to pursue music careers, an email brought them exactly who they were looking for, singer Erik Canzona. From there, phone calls were made and friends joined together, thus creating The Heavy Guilt.

Today the band consists of Alfred Howard (writer), Josh Rice (keyboard), Erik Canzona (lead vocals), Jason Littlefield (bass), Sean Martin (guitar) and Jenny Merullo (drums).

With a sound that is part rock ‘n’ roll, indie and Americana, the band will release its self-titled album showcasing their new amped up sound, due sometime in April.

There is no doubt that their sound has evolved from the first two albums. Their first album, Lift Us Up From This, was released in 2009, followed by 2011’s In the Blood.

“Truth be told, playing slow brooding folk songs in loud bars on weekend nights is a challenge that our amps and attitudes rose to,” said Howard. “To eclipse the whiskey warmed conversation of a Friday night dive bar we needed to be louder and more engaging.”

He adds that for now the quiet ballads that shaped much of their early career will be played only “when people are familiar enough to care.”

The upcoming album will only show the evolution and progress made by the band and according to lead singer Canzona, it is the best work they have done yet.

“It combines the simplicity and richness of the first album with the live energy of the second,” said Canzona. “It’s the album I’ve always wanted to be a part of.”

With the new year, The Heavy Guilt has a new agenda and a new album. They plan to hit the road in support of their forthcoming album and gain more exposure outside of their hometown.

For those attending the live show at Becker Amphitheater, you can expect their rustic Americana folk rock sound, only amped up for the enjoyment of a live audience.

“It’s kind of like our albums on steroids,” Canzona said.

The show at the Becker Amphitheatre is free for everyone and takes place between the Titan Student Union and the Pollak Library. For more information on the band, visit their website: TheHeavyGuilt.com.

 

 

This article was written for the Daily Titan and ran on 1/28/2013. Link: http://www.dailytitan.com/2013/01/heavy-guilt-to-scale-down-becker-stage/