The Guitar Player's Resource
Fronted by guitarist Dave Paris, and vocalist/keyboardist Barbe Paris, the Iowa Based rock group Dark Spectacle have released their debut CD Thoughts Of Life. An album with a tremendous amount of stylistic and production variety, it comes across as more of a collection of tracks conceived and written over a period of time. The influences range from Creed, Stone Temple Pilots and Petra (hard rock and metal) to Melissa Etheridge, Alanis Morrisette and Jars Of Clay (alternative) to instrumental guitar-driven music. Dave Paris, while probably not intending to set the guitar world on fire with technical chops, does favor a guitar-heavy approach to his arrangements, featuring plenty of solos and overdriven, rhythmic crunch. Barbe Paris, with her emotional vocals singing the Christian oriented messages, is a real stand-out; the cuts which feature other singers (instead of, or in addition to her on lead vocals) actually demonstrate how versatile and talented she is. She can do metal and hard rock ala Kate French (Chastain) or modern pop/rock ala Tori Amos - on CD two, Dark Spectacle needs to give Barbe free reign to do one-hundred percent of the vocals, double- and triple-tracking when necessary - she's dynamite.
Founding members Dave and Barbe have worked together for over ten years. Having met in a music theory class, their collaboration in music has afforded them many great opportunities. They have performed throughout the Midwest, sharing the stage with major-label and international touring acts such as Disciple, Bride, Greg Long, Bruce Carroll, Joe Club and Lowell Lundstrom. They have graced the pages of HM Magazine, and have received airplay on dozens of radio stations. Throughout the spring and summer of 2001, Dark Spectacle songs penned by Dave and Barbe topped mp3.com charts, making them one of the most downloaded groups from Iowa.
Dark Spectacle continues to move forward, performing electric and acoustic sets of primarily original music. The group brings their high energy live shows everywhere from small coffeehouses, to large clubs and concert halls.
Dark Spectacle
United States
Web site: www.angelfire.com/band/darkspec