Next to None Embarks on Tour with Support
Next to None performed at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, on October 6.
Earlier this month, local band Next to None embarked on two consecutive tours.
The progressive metal band consists of keyboardist and vocalist Thomas Cucé, bass player Kris Rank, drummer Max Portnoy, and guitarist Ryland Holland.
After releasing their first album, “A Light in the Dark,” in June, the band is traveling throughout the northeast and midwest on two back-to-back tours. While on tour, Next to None will be performing with Fates Warning and A.D.D.
Accompanying Next to None on their tours is 17-year-old Elijah Fritchman, a former Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts student. Even though he has ten years of musical experience, this is Fritchman’s first time performing with other musicians.
Elijah Fritchman, the band’s supporter, plays the guitar.
“Getting with the dynamics of everyone’s personalities and stage presences can be difficult,” Fritchman said, “but it’s also a blast getting to play with other professional people.”
Next to None’s three-week tour with Fates Warning started October 9. Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band that started in 1982 out of Hartford, Connecticut. The band is composed of five members, including Jim Matheos, Ray Alder, Joey Vera, Frank Aresti, and Bobby Jarzombek.
“It’s very exciting having everything come together,” Southern Lehigh junior, Rank said. “Going on tour is rewarding.”
Following their Fates Warning tour, Next to None will be setting out on another tour with A.D.D., a rock band that writes their own originals. Their first performance will be at Chicago Restaurant & Nightlife in Allentown on November 8. The bands will tour together for one week to perform five shows.
“I love doing music as a career,” A.D.D. lead singer Dakota McGeehan said. “Playing to a crowd and hearing them sing the words to my originals is incredible. I’m looking forward to having that on tour.”
During both of Next to None’s two tours, the band plans to perform songs off of their recently released album, “A Light in the Dark.” The concept of the album is about someone with multiple personality disorder who struggles to figure out which personality is right. Songwriter Thomas Cucé said that “real world events and [his] own experiences” inspired him while working on the eleven songs that comprise the album.
“The album release can be attributed to hard work and luck,” Cucé said. “We got a lot of positive feedback from people who were surprised how good we are considering our age. Hopefully we’ll continue to surprise.”
Senior Emily Oberlender is a third-year staff member and the current opinion editor for the Spotlight. She previously served for one year as the news editor....