By Samantha Porter
The music to be performed at this year’s Springfest ranges from the ’80s to today. The News has the scoop on the bands, their accomplishments and where they are now.
Dashboard Confessional $60,000 per show* First album: 2000 Latest album: 2003
Dashboard Confessional’s 2001 hit “Screaming Infidelities” not only brought the quartet into the mainstream by enticing emo-loving teenage listeners, but it brought the band to a new level of success. Dashboard Confessional played at Assumption College in Worcester in March and they will perform at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in May. In 2001, the band completed the “Vagrant Across America Tour” alongside labelmate Alkaline Trio. They also released the So Impossible EP featuring Dan Hoerner, formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate. Frontman Chris Carrabba re-released his debut solo album, Swiss Army Romance, with two new tracks in 2003 on Vagrant Records. He reunited with his band members Scott Shoenbeck, John Lefler and Mike Marsh for the recording of, A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar, which was released in August 2003. Most recently, the band contributed to the Spiderman 2 soundtrack with their single “Vindicated.”
Violent Femmes $20,000 to $25,000 per show* First Album: 1983 Latest Album: 2006
Despite little commercial success, The Violent Femmes have become one of America’s classic cult favorites, loved by the anguished teenager and music connoisseur alike. After being discovered by James Honeyman-Scott of the Pretenders and signing to Slash Records, the group has been able to withstand the test of time thanks to their hit “Blister in The Sun” off of their self-titled debut album, which was released in 1983 and took almost a decade to reach platinum level. The album holds a record for being the only record to achieve platinum status without ever entering the Billboard Top 200 list, according to All Music Guide. The band recently played at Sugarloaf, a mountain/ski resort in Maine and will be performing at the East Coast Surfing Championship this summer. The group formed in the early ’80s in Milwaukee, Wis. Singer/guitarist Gordon Gano, percussionist Victor DeLorenze and bassist Brian Richie blend to create an alternative fusion of punk and folk sounds. Over the last two-and-a-half decades, the band has released a dozen albums on several different labels. This year, the group released Violent Femmes: Archive Series No. 1: Live in Iceland.
Jurassic 5 $35,000-$40,000 per show* First album: 1998 Latest album: 2002
With the collaboration of two different groups, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee, Jurassic 5 was created in 1993 in the South Central Los Angeles-based The Good Life Caf
