In a basement in Montclair, four boys headed into 10th grade at MHS are rocking out.
The Pokemen are Duke Greene (bass and vocals), Zach Lorelli (drums), Alex Park (lead guitar), and Noah Schifrin (vocals and rhythm guitar), four friends who one day might be the next big thing out of New Jersey. The four musicians have been playing together on and off since 8th grade, but this past winter they officially formed a band—and now all sorts of good things are happening for them.
Their mix of punk, pop, and funk have earned them local gigs at the Montclair Art Museum, Terry’s Serendipity Café, and battle of the bands events at MHS. The last battle, which they won, got them a prize of 2 hours of studio time. “At the studio, Mike Gentile, who was the battle of the bands judge, said he was interested in recording an EP,” says Schifrin, and now they’re practicing several times a week to get ready for the upcoming session. The results will be uploaded to iTunes and other online music sites.
In the meantime, The Pokemen are focused on playing live. “We’ll play anywhere!” says Schifrin, and the whole band is looking forward to their show at City Winery in Manhattan, July 2nd, 6pm, as part of Big Mountain Entertainment’s “Teen Dreams” showcase. “We’re pretty excited to play,” says Schifrin. “It’s going to be a big show for us.”
To get a preview of what to expect from The Pokemen live experience, check out the video below:
