Breakfast at the Aquarium: First Time in North Dakota

When Tim Palmieri and his bandmates shortened the name of their group from Psychedelic Breakfast to just The Breakfast and created a clean-cut photo for their fourth CD, Real Radio, they were determined to stand on the merits of their music. “We just didn’t want anyone to have any kind of ideas before they even listened to us because we feel our music is good enough to appeal to almost anyone once they see us live,” Palmieri says. Though that album cover makes them look like a ska band or a retro-50s group, the music that came out of that release and the new one, Moxie Epoxy, is pure rocking jam.

During the early days of touring back in 1998, Palmieri was never sure how the band’s name would be spelled. “It always used to be a nightmare seeing our name up on marquees and in the papers…We definitely appreciate that part of the name change,” he says.

The affirmation in their name is a reflection of the band finding solid footing. In 2001, in the Psychedelic days, they signed with independent Sonance Records, which was in Philadelphia at the time, but is now located in San Diego. “Once we got with them, we were definitely put on the national spotlight,” Palmieri recalls. “Not that they put us there, we just went there. We were playing from coast to coast. We want to sell our albums across the country. We hit the road and pretty much toured for three years solid.”

Then in 2004, they won a coveted Jammy award for New Groove of the Year. They hired a new manager and a new agent and continued to tour. Change is still occurring. Their keys player and bass man got married and eventually both left the band after the release of their fifth disc, Moxie Epoxy. This year, Matt Ostreicher took command of the keyboards, and Chris DeAngelis, formerly in Vermont’s Turkey Bouillon Mafia, manned the bass. Adrian Tramontano’s driving drums and Palmieri’s shredding guitar continue to set the characteristic tone of The Breakfast. Though Palmieri is the lead singer, all of the band members add their voices to the mix.

The Breakfast’s approach to music has usually been lighthearted, but their new album delves into deeper issues of heartbreak, difficult choices, and the dichotomy between anger and love. The band has brought their original tunes to a number of club and festival stages across the country, even appearing twice at the 10,000 Lakes Festival. Their debut in North Dakota at the Aquarium will be a stellar event for jam fans.

If You Go

WHAT: The Breakfast w Mark Pickerel
WHERE: Aquarium, Fargo
WHEN: Wed, Apr 2, 8:00pm
HOW MUCH: $8
WHO: 21+ID
INFO: (701) 235-5913