"5'2'', long brown hair, a tramp stamp and emotionally unstable."
A joke, of course, when asked what type of audience the band Brotherfish likes to play for. This is, of course, after drinking juice from a rum ham. Don't know what a rum ham is? That's okay, keep reading.
Tom Yanno, Joe Archible, Dennis O'Keefe, Andrew Kempa and Rob Santa Maria all are in their 20s and 30s, and claim to play "high-energy party rock, with a few songs to satisfy the ladies."
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Brotherfish will perform at 10 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Cell Block, 154 W. Third St. The New Jersey-based band features Tom Yanno, Joe Archible, Dennis O’Keefe, Andrew Kempa and Rob Santa Maria. For more information about Brotherfish, visit the group’s website at www.brotherfishband.com.
The "party rock" lifestyle that LMFAO, an electronic-rap duo, is known for is evident in Brotherfish's personalities, despite having a totally different style of music.
This could, in part, have to do with their suburban origins: East of Philly and the notorious Jersey Shore.
"We've played all over the tri-state area; South Jersey, Philly and the Jersey Shore," Robbie Santa Maria, guitarist and vocalist, said.
For now, they only play cover songs live, but they have plans to produce a full-length, original album in the future, with four songs completed currently.
When hearing the name "Brotherfish" at first, it may strike you as slightly forgettable; two simple words pushed together, but it suddenly sticks and is very fitting for the band's overall personality when the backstory is revealed.
"When I was in high school, my friend used to doodle in my textbook," Yanno, guitarist and keyboardist, said. "One day, he drew a fish with a human head. He had a giant afro, smoking a 'cigarette' and titled him 'BROTHERFISH.' Now, years later, it's our band name."
Their debut was not so long ago, in December of 2010.
"Joe, the bassist, and I (guitar-keyboard) are co-workers," Yanno said. "When we decided to form a band, we turned to Craigslist and found Dennis, the drummer and Andrew, vocals. I found out that Robbie, another co-worker at the time, also played guitar, so we brought him on board to complete the line up."
"What the hell was I thinking?" he joked.
Bands they cover live include mostly high-energy, fast-paced punk and rock bands such as Blink 182, Rancid, All Time Low and many more. On the flipside, they also cover Adele, Gotye, Lenny Kravitz, Foster the People and other pop artists.
"We like to have something for everyone, even people who like bad pop songs," O'Keefe, drummer, said.
Whether they're covering Blink 182 or Adele, Brotherfish will pave the way to inevitable sing-alongs and sweaty dancing.
"We love to see people singing along and dancing. That lets us know that we're accomplishing our goal of entertaining people," O'Keefe said.
"Plus, we rock it like nobody's business," Yanno added.
Brotherfish will be gracing Williamsport's with it's presence at the Cell Block in the Gallows, 154 W. Third St. on Groundhog Day. They played there previously in October, near Halloween.
"The crowd was amazing when we played there last October," Yanno said. "We and the crowd really fed off of each other's energy to make for a very memorable show. We have high hopes for our return on Feb. 2 and can't wait to party with the staff and patrons of Cell Block again! It's well worth the four hour drive."
Of all the shows they have played in the last few years, they cite the Cell Block as being one of their favorite venues and exclaimed that one of the best times they have ever had as a band after a gig, was the last time they played at the Cell Block. Archible simply said that he was cleaning Doritos out of his ears and hair for days, although what celebratory actions caused this tasty snack to end up in such places remains a mystery.
Apparently similar endeavors are in the band's foresight prior to their 10 p.m. Groundhog Day show.
"Of course! [We have plans before the show.] They involve Doritos, a Bible, a microwave, a camera and most importantly, a rum ham," Kempa, vocalist, said.
According to Urban Dictionary, a rum ham is "ham soaked in rum so that it is literally loaded with booze. This dish is considered a delicacy by sun bathers on the Jersey Shore."
Allegedly said ham is soaked in 90 proof rum and was made popular by character Frank Reynolds from FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
Although they say the after party from their first appearance at the Cell Block is one of their most exciting recollections, they also have been witness to many other strange occurrences in their travels as a cover band:
A naked hippy open-palm slap a guy in the face because he was stealing his bike.
A cross-dressing man kiss Robbie.
An angry "little person" get thrown out of a bar.
Crashed in Andrew's Camaro because they didn't want to leave until the next morning.
Those who plan on party rocking with Brotherfish at the Cell Block on Groundhog Day can apparently expect free mayonnaise and a little bump 'n' grind. (As long as no one invited R. Kelly, Joe said.)
As a last note, Archible would like to let readers know that if you ever make a rum ham, don't do shots of the juice, no matter how much your friends may pressure you.
"We learned that the hard way while we answered these questions that should explain most of our answers," he said.
For more information about Brotherfish, visit their website at www.brotherfishband.com.
