Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

---Adam Peterson

When people think of a side-project band, they automatically assume that it is never going to be anything more than just that: a side project.
However, it seems that in the music business these days, side projects are a hot new commodity. Just look at A Perfect Circle and Stone Sour, two side projects of well-established modern rock bands Tool and Slipknot, respectively.
Now, two members of Arkansas’s most famous rock band, Evanescence, look to delve into that other realm with a side project called Mourningside.
Mourningside, which features Rocky Gray (drums) and John LeCompt (guitar) of Evanescence, Jack Wiese (vocals), Jeff Bowie (bass), and Devin Castle (guitar), are planning on using their mix of heavy modern rock and metal to gain an all new audience.
With a growing internet following, thanks mainly to the official Evanescence message board and word-of-mouth, they are already appealing to the masses like seasoned veterans.
Mourningside started, as most bands do, just as friends playing music together to have fun. Vocalist Jack Wiese, at the time, was playing in a local St. Louis band, The 5th Element, when they opened up for the multi-platinum Little Rock band Evanescence. John and Rocky were so impressed with his remarkable vocal ability and stage presence that they exchanged numbers.
They began talking to each other months later, started jamming on some songs, and eventually they decided that they wanted to take the band to the next level. With the addition of guitarist Devin Castle, from local bands Temper Effect, Ashes of Augustine, and Eva Braun, and bassist Jeff Bowie, formerly of Between the Second, Mourningside was ready to make this “for-fun” band a reality.
Having already played in front of nearly 10,000 people at a St. Louis radio festival, Mourningside is starting from ground zero to get their music out to anyone who is willing to listen. Using a grassroots type of promotion, through postings on message forums, myspace.com, and anything else that can be done, Mourningside fans are growing in numbers faster than anyone could possibly imagine.
Many die-hard Evanescence fans, from all around the world who are members of the Evanescence online message forum, www.evboard.com, are having a get-together in Little Rock from July 29 to August 2. Mourningside will be playing a private party for the EvBoard members at Juanita’s on Saturday, July 30.
If you’re not able to be a part of the private party at Juanita’s on July 30, don’t worry because you will definitely be able to catch Mourningside in the near future. For all the up-to-date information on Mourningside, be sure to check out their website at www.mourningsideonline.com.

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