Skiesshownosiuns oruravrorlocalband

ln the tiny town of Merchantvi1le, N.J. there lived a little boy with a big dream. "I've wanted to be a rock star all my life," Sean Atwell, senior, said. All grown up, and an Eng1ish communications major, Atwell is pursuing his dream.

Shadesofgray. is made up of five members: Atwell, rhythm guitar, Ed Hartzel, vocals, Dave Moy, lead guitar, Joe Forgan, bass and Chris Moy, percussion.

The band has been together for four years. Made up of mostly New Jersey natives, they have all previously played in bands together, except Forgan, who is a fairly new addition to shadesofgray.

The band plays punk rock/rock and roll, or as Atwell likes to call it, progressed punk rock. They write their own music, but they have done a few covers such as The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and "Runaround Sue."

Shadesofgray. is not the typi- cal local band, however, for their music is on the playlist of college and mainstream radio stations such as 94. l WYSP, Drexel University's WK.DU and Rider University's WRRC.

If you have not heard them on the radio, maybe you have seen them performing. To name just a few places, shadesofgray. has played at the l>ontiac Grill and Doc Watson's in Philadelphia, CBGB's in New York City, and the Waterfront in Riverside, PA. Recently, the band received a call from Atlantic Pacific .Entertainment in Austin, Texas. T)leA&R crew went on a hunt for ,. five bands in the United States, and shadesofgray. was on the top of their list. The band was shocked. "It totally blew us away and we don't know how it happened."

There were 22 students at auditions in January. "There were a lot of new people to Cabrini's theater," Dewey said. John Holloway, Laura Giorlando, Kristan Bush, Mike Paolucci, Brian Fry, Melanie Gomes, Jana Fagotti, Karisma Mcilwaine and Alex Conyngham were cast.

The show is in its rehearsal stage right now. Rehearsals are three nights a week, lO hours a day, including Satur.9-ys. It opens the weekend ~April 4 in the Grace H~Theater with performanees on April 4, 5, 10 and 11. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for the general public.

Atwell wants to clarify that Atlantic Pacific Entertainment is not a record label; it is booking management as well as a promotions company.

Whether things work out with Atlantic Pacific or not, the band is planning on touring their way around the east coast.

Shadesofgray. performed a benefit concert for the homeless on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Merchantville Community Center in New Jersey. The cost was $5 to get in along with a canned good.

If you are interested in finding out more about shadesofgray. visit http://www.anothergrayday.com.