‘Red
West’ show promise of hitting it big
By Christine G. Adamo
On-line Forty-Niner
Red
West performed in Laguna Beach a few weeks
ago causing a pseudo-punk explosion .
 Red
West’s charisma and beyond-alternative rock
ballads had people rushing the stage to
buy their self-titled CD. Mitra had hers
autographed. I took it when she wasn’t looking.
Since then the band’s been in contract talks
with Atlantic Records and had its first
single, “Don’t Fall In,” put into rotation
on Orange County’s 94.3 FM. Mitra heard
it and called to say she wants her CD back.
“Red West” will make the band famous. But
these four boys from Whittier possess something
no CD or record company can possibly replace
or replicate. Red West is absolutely phenomenal
live.
Three of the band’s four members — Jayson
Belt, Matt Bethancourt and Andy Smith —
helped me figure out how they, an until-recently
unknown band, can rock the crowd, so hard
live.
“We recorded this album four months into
[our] journey,” Belt said. The lead singer
also said the band’s shows reflect an accumulated
passion that took root three years ago.
Smith — sporting a pink mohawk, diving into
a cup of Ben & Jerry’s, an alleged Chris
Isaak fan who is “single with a capital
S” — said he and Belt began writing music
together at Biola University. Belt’s cousin,
Ryan Gleason, joined the band on drums and
percussion two years later. Then came Bethancourt.
“They told me they were going on tour,”
Bethancourt teased. “I think it was supposed
to be true at the time.”
“Andy played this wonderful rift,” Belt
said, emphasizing wonderful.
The majority of the album unfolded in much
the same way.
“We write music first,” Belt said, “and
then sit down to talk about what it’s saying
to us.”
“What makes our music complex and different
is the fact that [we] come from different
musical backgrounds. Except for Jayson;
he has [none],” Bethancourt said with a
laugh.
Belt, having performed in school musicals,
operas and the choir, sticks to singing.
His vocal and theatrical sensibilities serve
Red West well. Considering the band’s sound
and its ability to perform live I can’t
help but think of Coldplay or The Police.
“Those are phenomenal bands,” Smith reassured
me.
“Ryan’s a big Stewart Copeland fan,” Belt
said. “The Police have definitely changed
the way people write songs today.”
So, I predict, will Red West.
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