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Nothing But Magnificent By Tiffany Razzano
Since that night, the group has graced the stage of nearly every major venue in the area: Southpaw, Crash Mansion, The Continental, The Nutty Irishman, The Crazy Donkey ... the list goes on. That fateful night, unburdened by dual roles, Hamilton and Batailles led the group, which also features the fierce vocals of first time lead singer Christy Fernandez and the backing beats of drummer Dave DiMarco, through a blazing set that enthralled a packed audience of friends and fans. Since then, the band hasn't looked back, as it continues to attract new fans of its unique brand of alternative rock that culls from a wide range of influences, from rock classics such as the Beatles and the Who, to indie rock stalwarts such as the Pixies and the Sugarcubes. "Our first show together was one of the most fun shows I've played in my career so far," Hamilton said. "It was very freeing not to have to be tied to a mic live and we all seem to be enjoying the group personally and musically now." Batailles said, "For the first time in the band, there's a real sense of everything being in the right place for us. We've had good shows before, but this one was by far the most exciting one to play." DiMarco calls Fernandez the group's missing link. And the feeling is mutual for the group's new singer, who feels she has found her musical niche. "I felt as though I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that point in my life," Fernandez said of her first show with Otherwise Magnificent. Hamilton and Batailles have played music together in a number of bands since high school, when they met through mutual friends. They eventually decided to write and perform as a duo, rather than with a full band. They released Nuit Louche as Otherwise Magnificent, which they took from a phrase from "Regina," a Sugarcubes song. "I liked the play on words," Hamilton said. "I liked the irony of everything being wrong, yet at the same time, being of grandeur and excellence." "It's the idea of being somehow tarnished and still going forward," Batailles added. As Otherwise Magnificent began performing live on Long Island and in New York City, DiMarco was brought in on drums to flesh out the duo's sound, followed by Fernandez on vocals. Since then, the band has been moving forward pretty quickly, playing a variety of local venues alongside bands from many genres. "I don't think we fit in a standard closed circuit scene," Hamilton said. "I think our music has a unique place in the Long Island scene as a whole." Last fall, the group released a four-song demo of new material. The songs are available at www.myspace.com/otherwisemagnificent. You can catch them next at Mulcahy's in Centereach on May 31. |
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