SĒN Baltimore Magazine - Nightlife, Local Music, Events and Podcasts

ANAMIDE - CD Release show/party
12/14/07
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD

Carroll County’s favorite local band, Anamide, released their new cd on December 14, 2007, and to celebrate the release, the band played a cd release show at Rams Head Live along with 7 Layers Deep and a few other notable local bands, but it was clear that the bulk of the crowd was there in full force to check out the Anamide boys, and they played a strong hour long set that covered all the bases, included most of their new cd as well as their usual closing Pantera Medley of “This Love/Walk”. 

I asked TJ, the bands guitarist, what he thought of the CD release show, and he replied, “drunken fun...our set went by way to fast. Great mix of RAWK genres.  I wish Cryptic Mind would have drew more people...they had less than 40 people there....not cool for being on a bill like this. I was Very happy with our sound and light show. The sound on the video screen could have been better...sounded too digital.”

Anamide lead singer Shane did what he does best, he rallied the crowd to move, get into the show and he commanded the stage with his presence, while TJ kept the riffs flowing on guitar and sporting an “Elvis” shirt and eyeliner, and Brian (The cowboy hat and black nail polish rocked!) and Darren (cool make-up!) kept the rhythm tight, and this was the most animated I think I’ve ever seen Brian, the bands bass player..he was smiling all night, high fiving fans, and having a great freakin’ time! 

TJ was telling me that his favorite song to play off the new cd is “Bow”, because “It shows off all our capabilities.” and according to TJ, the artwork fits the cd because “it's gritty and raw like us and our music. In a way we all still feel like outsiders in this music bizz...craving to break in and be more than we currently are.”

As far as 2008 plans for Anamide, TJ replied,  “Hot pursuit of getting signed, playing more shows out of town...playing more bars in the northern parts of MD, and, all while having old fashioned sex drugs and rock-n-roll fun all the way!”

As with any bands name, you always kinda wonder what it means and TJ told me,  “Our very first singer's GF came up with it...he never stuck around long enough to play a show. Anamide is a chemical in your brain that regulates addiction...A seratonin inhibitor.”

TJ also added that, “Personally, I want to have more connections and relations with the other big original acts in B-more. we've opened our arms and supported many of them and been at their shows and yet have NOT gotten the same response back. rumor has it, that many of them don't like the fact that we play covers!”

It’s always a running joke in a weird way, because Anamide do play covers in their set, and any local band that plays out on a regular basis knows that at certain clubs, you have to play covers, so when I see Anamide, I know there will be a few covers, and it’s NOT a bad thing...it’s actually fun to hear a song or 2 that you like and know as opposed to hearing a set of originals that often times you don’t know at all!  Anamide take crap from people at times for playing covers, but they are a hard working, local, Maryland based band, and they are even sponsored by Jager!

Perhaps the funnest moment of this show was when TJ and Shane from Anamide joined 7 Layers Deep onstage for a Killswitch Engage cover...the crowd seemed to really love that moment and it showed the camaraderie that the local scene should have, where the bands have fun, get along, and can just jam onstage together with no attitudes or egos!

If you missed the Anamide cd release, you can pick up their cd at any of their shows, or check them out at www.myspace.com/anamide

Tags: anamide, carroll county, rams head live, rock