The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Variety

Pride Parade has established its musical identity by creating its own brand of "loud pop music," featuring raspy vocals and roaring guitars. [Click to enlarge]

It's been just two years and local band Pride Parade has already built quite the résumé.

Since late 2006, the group has released one EP, one full-length album and has recorded a forthcoming LP set to be released later this year. And to add one more accolade to its already-impressive list of achievements: the band recently traveled to Austin, Texas, for the 40 Watt Club's showcase at the South by Southwest music festival.

"We had a great time. We loved it," said Allen Owens, one of the band's three guitarists.

Pride Parade combines influences from a multitude of genres to create its brand of "loud pop music." The result of the group's impromptu jam sessions and a collaborative songwriting process is a lush, layered sound that combines roaring guitars, an air-tight rhythm section and heavy bass lines with vocalist Andrew Prater's fiery, raspy vocals.

"It seems like whatever comes out comes out. There wasn't really a master plan. It seems like it sort of just meshed," Prater said. "We just play."

The past two years have been instrumental in establishing Pride Parade's musical identity as the group's sound has grown and evolved.

"The more we play together, the more we're trying to be a better band. I think we're a better band than we were last year," said drummer Aaron Sims.

And according to Prater, the group works in a democratic creative environment that allows the band to experiment with various sounds and ideas. But, he said, with trial inevitably comes error.

"We've all been playing so long that it's pretty apparent quickly if something's not going to work. Nobody's got a giant ego about anything."

Pride Parade's lineup is rounded out by guitarist BJ Bracewell and bassist Bubba McDonald, who, like the rest of the band, are both lifelong musicians who have dabbled in various genres of music.

"We'd [all] be making music wherever we lived," Prater said. "We love it and we definitely take it seriously."

Tonight's concert will feature songs from both of Pride Parade's available records as well as new material from their as-yet unreleased third recording.

Also taking the stage will be local band Dead Confederate along with Dinosaur Jr., an influential Massachusetts-based band that has notably inspired a long list of musicians, including Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth and Pixies.

"I was a fan when I was a teenager," Owens said. "They're going to be great."

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