Sitting in a cramped booth at a dimly lit Windsor watering hole, the air thick with the scent of stale hops and ambition, you get the sense that Midnight Metro is more than just another local act trying to break the ceiling. They have the look of a band that has survived the trenches of high school talent shows and emerged with a sound that is dangerously polished. Eric Vanier, River Pathak, Allesandro Rotondi and Reece Leonetti have been chasing the ghost of rock and roll since 2014. But it is their latest offering, *Flamingo*, released on Sept. 21, 2019, that finally demands a seat at the table.
The record is a slick piece of work. It moves from tasty drum fills to chords that lilt with a certain 1960s sentimentality. There are grooving bass lines that feel like they were pulled from a lost Motown session and beachy vocal harmonies that shimmer. It is a fresh element in a pop climate that often feels over-processed. It is a bit of the old world clashing with the new. It is the sound of a band finally finding its feet.
I ask about the response to the new material. The transition from local favourites to a band with a full-length LP is a jagged one. Eric leans in, his eyes reflecting the glow of the neon beer signs. "Thank you so much! The reception to Flamingo has been overwhelmingly positive so far, which is really heartwarming," Eric says. "We’ve been working on this project for so long, it’s really nice when people notice all the hard work and small details that went into every single track."
River nods in agreement, nursing a drink. He has the casual confidence of someone who knows the songs work because they have been tested in the fires of live performance. "It’s been great. People I haven’t really spoken to about the album are hitting me up to say they listened to it," River adds.
For Allesandro, the release is less about the accolades and more about the mental space. There is a psychological weight to holding onto unreleased music for years. "It almost feels like a relief in some ways, to finally get these tunes off your chest and make way for new ideas," Allesandro says.
The history of this unit is rooted in the hallways of Windsor secondary schools. They are not a manufactured group of session players. They are a brotherhood. River recalls the early days with a smirk. "We all went to high school together. Allesandro and I had the same music classes—I just thought he was super tall," River says.
The musical chemistry started with the classics. Before they were writing their own hooks, they were dissecting the greats. Allesandro remembers the specific moments the foundations were laid. "I started playing with River in 2012. We used to harmonize on songs like 'More Than Words' and 'If I Fell' in the hallways," Allesandro says. "Then we heard there was this prodigy drummer (Eric) in grade nine. We saw him play once or twice, and after a bit of speculating, we decided '...that’s our guy!'"
Naming a band is usually a nightmare of ego and bad puns. For Midnight Metro, the process was more about phonetics and a late-night vibe than any deep philosophical meaning. Allesandro breaks down the origin of the moniker. "It doesn’t really have a particular meaning. One night River sent a list of potential names. He liked Midnight Massacre, but we agreed it sounded a bit too...heavy," Allesandro says. "He sent over a few choice 'M' words, and we decided Metro was the coolest combination. I always imagined some guys jamming at a New York-style metro station late at night."
The sound on *Flamingo* is a cocktail of influences. You can hear the Beach Boys in the vocal stacks and the Beatles in the melodic structures. But there is a grit there too, reminiscent of Green Day or Weezer. It is a diverse palette. River is the first to admit his tastes lean toward the aggressive. "Allesandro and I like The Beatles, and Eric likes Prog Rock a lot. We all have some pretty diverse taste in music. If something in our songs sounds like Avenged Sevenfold, it was probably me," River says, laughing.
Allesandro adds another layer to the analysis. The band is not just about power chords and pop hooks. There is a technicality under the hood. "We also have some interesting jazz and latin undertones," Allesandro says.
This openness to different genres is what keeps the music from becoming a parody of its influences. Eric sees this as the band’s greatest strength. "Pretty much anything we’re inspired by can make it into our music, which I think is very cool," Eric says.
As an avid collector of Beach Boys bootlegs, I stumbled across an old tape-recording of Brian Wilson working out a song idea on piano in 1977. It was never completed, released, nor copyrighted, so I decided to finish writing, arranging, and recording it from scratch, imagining the way Brian may have done it. ...I nearly had a heart attack when I received word that my project piqued the interest of Al Jardine, and he invited me to the band’s rehearsal to bring them copies of the song. ...It was a dream come true, and an experience that I am thankful for every day.
The conversation shifts to Allesandro’s upbringing. His father is a Gene Simmons impersonator, a fact that would be a distraction for some but was a masterclass in stagecraft for him. Growing up around the KISS tribute band Destroyer: Canada’s Tribute to KISS gave him a front-row seat to the mechanics of performance. "He influenced me a lot," Allesandro says. "Drums and bass were my first instruments from as early as I can remember, and since the band (Destroyer: Canada’s Tribute to KISS) was often rehearsing at our house, it was easy for me to get my hands on the instruments. He also helped me get comfortable performing onstage and in front of audiences from a very early age. Because of that, it always felt like second nature."
Writing *Flamingo* was not a linear process. It was a democratic, often chaotic, exchange of ideas. Eric explains that the band avoids the typical "songwriter and backing band" dynamic. "We all write in the band and all have our own ideas so I wouldn’t say there’s definitive roles each of us always follow," Eric says. "The way many of the songs on Flamingo were written was with an initial idea from one of us. Either just an idea, or a more fleshed out version of a song. From there, we would send a demo to the band to get some feedback."
This feedback loop is where the "Metro" sound is forged. "Most of the time, we loved what we heard and would get inspired to work on it," Eric continues. "Each member would add their personalities to the track, or might tweak arrangements to help complete the song. This includes lyrics, layering harmonies, drum parts, bass lines, guitar solos, synth parts, and of course sound effects. We all work on these parts; we don’t really stay restricted to our primary instruments while writing. It all depends on the song, but we always try to keep it a really collaborative process and are open to trying out new ideas."
River has a more mystical—or perhaps supernatural—take on how the songs materialize. "Honestly the tracks just come out of nowhere sometimes. I’m pretty sure Allesandro is an alien, or a demon though," River says.
Allesandro brings it back to earth, noting that the approach varies from track to track. "Sometimes we each bring a song to the table entirely written and arranged, and other times we like to put our heads together and stir up something fresh," Allesandro says.
One of the standout tracks, "Glass Pterodactyl," has a backstory that is as colourful as its title. It is a song born from a specific moment of chemically-enhanced observation. River explains the genesis of the lyrics. "I was chilling in my dad’s man cave, and I just smoked a joint so I was feeling good. I sat on the table and strummed my guitar, looking around the room for things to write about," River says. "I saw a glass jar that had the Detroit Lions logo on it, but lions are boring so I switched it to pterodactyl. Right next to the bar, there’s a picture of Ford Field mounted on the wall, so I said 'painting of a football'. The bridge came later from something I jammed while I was living in Toronto, but I credit the weed for that track."
The logistics of the band are complicated by geography. Eric is based in Toronto, while the rest of the crew remains in the Windsor area. But rather than a hindrance, the band sees this as a strategic advantage. Eric is currently honing his craft at Humber College. "I’m studying at Humber College to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion and Music and Allesandro is in his fourth year at the University of Windsor studying music too," Eric says. "We believe without the knowledge that we’ve obtained through our music studies, our band would not be at the same level that we are right now. We really have no aspirations outside of music, this is what we want to do with our lives."
The distance has actually expanded their reach. "Me being in Toronto actually gives us an edge," Eric adds. "We have opportunities and connections that we never would have had otherwise. Since we’re kinda spread out at the moment, we feel it gives us opportunities to cover more ground in getting our music out there."
Allesandro is equally committed to the academic and professional side of the craft. "Digital home recording technology makes things a lot easier. Music is what we love to do, it’s an everyday occasion," Allesandro says. "I’m studying Jazz Guitar and Music Education, playing acoustic gigs several times a week, and writing and recording on my own and with Midnight Metro."
River echoes the sentiment that there is no Plan B. "I lived in Toronto for a few months. We all talk on Facebook every day. For the long term goals, I know there’s nothing else I could be satisfied with other than making music," River says.
Touring is the next logical step. The band is itching to get on the road and bring *Flamingo* to a wider audience. River is the primary agitator for live dates. "I push these guys to tour all the time," River says.
Eric hints at upcoming plans. "There’s definitely something in the works right now, so keep an eye on our social media for that! You can catch us opening for Destroyer at The Grand Central in Essex on Saturday, Oct. 12!" Eric says.
Perhaps the most surreal chapter in the Midnight Metro story involves a school project and a founding member of the Beach Boys. Allesandro’s deep dive into the "California Sound" led him to a brush with greatness. "In my Ethnomusicology class, one of the projects was to study a community of music which we were not directly a part of. I decided to study the California Sound," Allesandro says. "As an avid collector of Beach Boys bootlegs, I stumbled across an old tape-recording of Brian Wilson working out a song idea on piano in 1977. It was never completed, released, nor copyrighted, so I decided to finish writing, arranging, and recording it from scratch, imagining the way Brian may have done it. The components included heavy vocal layering, and unique instrument combinations such as marimba and ukulele. Upon completion of the song, I sent what I was working on to The Beach Boys’ inner circle."
The gamble paid off in a way he never expected. A ticket to a Caesars Windsor show turned into a backstage invitation. "I had tickets to see Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and Blondie Chaplin at Caesars Windsor, and I nearly had a heart attack when I received word that my project piqued the interest of Al Jardine, and he invited me to the band’s rehearsal to bring them copies of the song," Allesandro says. "I sat with my girlfriend Ashley in the empty coliseum, listening to my musical heroes break down harmonies before my eyes and ears."
It was an immersion in the high-level artistry that Midnight Metro aspires to. "It was the greatest musical education imaginable," Allesandro continues. "After the rehearsal, I chatted music and the project with Al, Blondie, and their fabulous backing band. Al said 'We’re always discovering little snippets like this. Brian and I will be back in the studio at some point; who knows what will happen.' We exchanged a quick hello with Brian too, but he was having some health issues at the time and didn’t stick around long. It was a dream come true, and an experience that I am thankful for every day."
The connection didn’t end there. Allesandro recently crossed paths with the legends again across the border. "Coincidentally, I hung out with them again last night in Detroit before their show with The Zombies," Allesandro says. "I went crate-digging for vinyl with their percussionist, Jim, and Rob, their guitarist (and Carnie Wilson’s husband). They’re amazing guys, and very down to earth. I also spoke with Al Jardine again, Darian Sahanaja, and Probyn Gregory, who told me they listened to my tune on the tour bus and quite enjoyed it! I even passed on a few copies of Flamingo to them!"
As the interview winds down, I ask the band a hypothetical: if they could be any other creature or person, who would it be? The answers are as varied as their record. Allesandro looks back at the album’s original title for inspiration. "We originally wanted to call the album Hummingbird. I think I’d be a hummingbird; I find them very peaceful. They often buzz around my mom’s plants while I eat breakfast," Allesandro says.
River, ever the provocateur, chooses a darker path. "If I could be another person, I’d probably be John Lennon. That way, I could be dead but everyone would still love me even though I’m a garbage human being," River says.
Eric brings it back to the current aesthetic of the band. "I would probably also have to say I’d be a bird of some sort. I don’t know what kind though… maybe even a flamingo!" Eric says.
Midnight Metro is a band that understands the weight of their influences but isn't afraid to get their hands dirty in the modern pop world. They are educated, driven and possess a "demon" energy that prevents their beachy harmonies from becoming too saccharine. Catch them at a gig near you or visit them online at midnightmetro.bandcamp.com.
