City of Vain is a Sacramento punk rock band, formed from members of various local groups, known for high-energy, melodic punk shaped by influences such as The Clash, The Specials, Rancid and Bouncing Souls.[1] By 2013 it was described as one of the must-see bands in Sacramento.[1] According to their Bandcamp page, the band describes themselves as "6 friends looking to create a band by which no rules applied," with roots in Punk, Oi, Hardcore, Ska, and Rock & Roll.[2]
At a glance
- Sacramento-based punk band; began creating buzz around town in late 2011.[1]
- Six members: Steve Ross (vocals), Andy Simpson (drums), Drew Boyce (lead guitar), Newell Dunn (rhythm guitar), Mario Maynor (bass), and Minh Quan (keys).[1][3]
- Releases: American Nightmare (October 31, 2011)[4], Backs Against the Wall (June 13, 2013)[3], and Song of The Republic (February 17, 2014).[5]
- Backs Against the Wall placed #11 on Submerge's Top 30 Albums of 2013.[6]
- Played the 2012 Friday Night Concerts in the Park before a crowd of 6,000-plus.[1][7]
Origin and members
City of Vain is from Sacramento; the band's members are drawn from a variety of earlier local groups, including the hardcore and street punk scenes.[1] The six-member lineup consists of Steve Ross, Minh Quan, Newell Dunn, Drew Boyce, Mario Maynor and Andy Simpson.[1] Ross is the band's primary songwriter; Quan plays keyboards (unusual for punk rock) and was brought in full-time ahead of the 2013 album; Dunn had previously played in hardcore and street punk bands before a hiatus.[1]
The full instrument assignments, confirmed on the Backs Against the Wall Bandcamp credits, are: Steve Ross (vocals), Drew Boyce (lead guitar), Newell Dunn (rhythm guitar), Mario Maynor (bass), Minh Quan (keys), and Andy Simpson (drums).[3]
Local status
City of Vain is unambiguously a local Sacramento band. Submerge's 2013 feature is headlined "Sacramento's City of Vain" and the band members describe pride in their hometown, saying they "let it be known that Sacramento is where we're from" when touring.[1] The 2013 album review calls them "Sacto punkers."[6] They are explicitly framed as part of "our local punk scene" and built their early reputation playing Sacramento venues such as The Press Club and Blue Lamp.[1]
Timeline and releases
The band began generating local buzz in late 2011, when flyers featuring a grainy handgun image and the band's name appeared around town and they drew attention at venues like The Press Club and Blue Lamp.[1]
Their debut, American Nightmare, was released October 31, 2011 and contains five tracks: "City of Vain," "American Nightmare," "P.M.A.," "The Rift," and "Old Tavern."[4]
Their follow-up, Backs Against the Wall, was released June 13, 2013. It is a seven-song record — "Backs Against The Wall," "Lessons in Social Class," "Stuck Here With You," "Moving Forward," "Out on an Island," "New Helvetia," and "To You, My Friend" — recorded at Pus Cavern Studios, Sacramento, CA in May 2013, engineered by Joe Johnston and mixed by Joe Johnston and Steve Ross.[3] Set-list songs mentioned in Submerge's 2013 feature included "New Helvetia," "To You My Friends" and "Stuck Here With You," with newer material such as "Moving Up Moving Forward," "Out on an Island," "Lessons in Social Class" and "Backs Against the Wall."[1] The self-released record was ranked #11 on Submerge's Top 30 Albums of 2013, described as "one of the best punk rock records of the year, not just locally, but globally."[6]
A third release, the digital single Song of The Republic, followed on February 17, 2014.[5]
Shows and touring
City of Vain co-headlined an all-locals show at Ace of Spades and played the 2012 Friday Night Concerts in the Park in front of 6,000-plus people.[1] They appeared in the June 22 slot of the 2012 Concerts in the Park lineup alongside 7 Seconds and Bastards of Young.[7] They also shared bills with other Sacramento acts: a Kill the Precedent EP release show at Harlow's on Aug. 6, 2011 (with Will Haven and The Snobs);[8] an Oct. 7, 2011 benefit at Blue Lamp for Alicea Peet (with Kill the Precedent, Black Mackerel and Muderlicious);[9] and Killdevil's CD release show at Ace of Spades on April 14, 2012 (with Kill the Precedent, Giant Squid, The Secretions and Black Mackerel).[10]
The band toured with hard-working punk acts, including bands from overseas. Ross credits Mike Bolado of the band Old Glory — "quite possibly the seventh member" — with booking tours and forging relationships with European bands.[1] Touring logistics included "11 people in a van."[1]
Scene relationships
City of Vain's members came from across Sacramento's hardcore, street punk and pop-punk circles, and the band drew a mixed crowd of metalheads, hardcore kids and punks.[1] Ross cites Kenny Beasley of Pressure Point as an early supporter and "icon."[1] He praises promoter Sean Hills of Punch and Pie Productions for pairing touring bands with quality Sacramento locals.[1] The band's release show for Backs Against the Wall was June 13, 2013 at The Press Club, with Crashed Out, Old Glory and Union Hearts also performing.[1] The 2013 feature was written by Danny Secretion (of The Secretions) with photos by Nicholas Wray.[1]