2008 Best Cover Rock Performers
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28.76% Brother*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot
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The members of Brother are no strangers to packed houses or fist-pumping fans. What they're a little less familiar with is the rush that comes with being named the town's Best Rock Cover Band. "Six years and we're finally here," said lead vocalist Mark Magdich to an adoring crowd on Whammy night. "Six years. We can't believe it." Brother - made up of identical twins Mark and Mike Magdich and Michael Campbell and Chris Biciste - have been packing venues all over town with audiences eager to hear their rocking versions of Kiss, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Foreigner, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Boston and Def Leppard, just to name a few. The band has gone through two incarnations, with third Magdich brother Christopher once serving as lead guitarist. He left because of other commitments, as did a second guitarist, leaving room for Campbell - former frontman for Angel - and Biciste, the newest member. Musical virtuosity distinguishes these self-described "Journey heads." Becoming more and more known for their acoustic set at the end of the night, the musicians of Brother have between them about 100 years in the business. Mike, once a member of the Guardsman Drum and Bugle Corps, has composed symphonies and now works as a professor of music at Trine University in Angola. Mark plays nine different instruments, has trained as an opera singer and has voice work on several independent films to his credit. Campbell and Biciste likewise have a lengthy list of accomplishments that might astound your average listener avid for "Free Bird." "We don't really spend a lot of time thinking about how talented we are as musicians - mostly we just play and do the best job we can - but it does help us critique our work and grow together as a group," Mark said. People often say great minds think alike. So do identical twins. Brother came about because Mark, having chased the rock star dream in Los Angeles for 15 years, called Mike and told him that he was moving back to Indiana and was toying with the idea of forming a band with him and Christopher. Mike, who'd been playing in regionally touring rock and jazz bands and had earned a degree in music, said he'd had exactly the same thought. "The two of us can argue about who had the idea first and we do, but the real point is that people are enjoying what we're doing," said Mark. "We started Brother with nothing more in mind than playing maybe once or twice a month to have fun. Now we're playing every weekend, usually Friday and Saturday nights, and it's a blast and it's humbling, too." Brother beat out the formidable Plow, What She Said and Still Groove for Best Cover honors. So what's next for these rising stars? Disney World? A disc of original work? "We do have one original song, 'Rise,' but we're really busy guys. Our work schedules are crazy, so I don't see us putting together a lot of originals any time soon," Mark said. "Besides, Brother is a cover band. That's what we set out to be, and that's what we're going to do night after night. Keep it fresh, and keep the audiences coming back for more." (Deborah Kennedy) |
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