Band
members gather support
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
With
only three and a half months of being together
in a band, Long Beach’s Jack’s Smirking
Revenge, or simply known as JSR is promoting
themselves to clubs and fans from the Los
Angeles and Orange County areas.
One of the places the band gained respect
from was Hogue BarMichaels in Newport Beach.
“We played two weekends ago, and it was
our first show there,” drummer Adam Smeaton
said. “They really liked us, made
it sound like it was a big deal to us.”
JSR consists of lead singers Cal State Long
Beach students Adam Centeno and Said Montufar,
Jeremy Guthrie on bass and Paul Elyousfi
on guitar.
Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath inspired
Elyousfi to play guitar.
“Those bands inspired me to pick up an instrument,”
Elyousfi said. “Right now I am a fan of
every type of music out there.”
Despite being a newcomer to the club scene,
Centeno said he does not feel stage fright.
“It’s not so much nervousness as it’s anticipation
that I feel. Especially when I get to a
show two hours early when I feel antsy to
get on stage,” Centeno said.
Besides Hogue BarMichaels, one of the most
interesting places Smeanton said that JSR
has played was Sacred Grounds coffee shop
in San Pedro, where it houses various local
rock and punk acts.
Crowds that come and see JSR range from
high school to college students and people
with an open mind Smeaton said.
Those who are familiar with the movie “Fight
Club” are aware of the line, “I am Jack’s
Smirking Revenge,” which is how Centeno
got the name for the band.
One of the most important aspects of
being in JSR is putting extra effort into
live performances.
“We all play 110 percent and get lost in
our own zone,” Smeaton said. “It’s about
going all out and is just a total escape
for us. For me, it’s what I’m supposed to
be doing.”
With each show that JSR plays, the fan base
is growing and the band is getting more
excited to play.
“It’s the snowball effect and we can’t let
it stop,” Centeno said.
“It depends on the fans,” Guthrie said,
“Once they start talking we can go from
there.”
JSR will be playing Hogue BarMichaels in
Newport Beach at 8 p.m. Oct. 26. For more
information call (714) 771-7211.
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