by Nancy Chang
Daily Lobo
Street-style rhythm and soul rolled through Burt's Tiki Lounge in a van fueled by vegetable oil Tuesday night.
Patiokings, a band that sprouted out of Northampton, Mass., is currently touring 30 U.S. cities to promote the release of its second album Brand New Bang. Aside from its flavorful music, Patiokings stands out from the rest because it is touring the country in a Chevrolet Cargo van converted to run on vegetable oil.
The band chose to travel this way for several reasons.
"Politically, environmentally and financially, we save a ton of money on fuel costs," said Kjell Ostlund, Patiokings lead vocalist.
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The van, which was converted by the company Greasecar, runs on a duel-fuel system, and can be filled with either diesel fuel or vegetable oil. The band stops at restaurants along the tour, and fills up the van's tank with the grease from the fryers.
"We have a system in our van where we can pull up and pump it right out of their dumpsters into our fuel tank," Ostlund said.
This benefits the band and restaurant owners because it costs money to have the grease removed.
"They are usually more than happy to let us take it from them," Ostlund said.
After Tuesday's show, Patiokings headed to Frontier Restaurant in hopes of fueling the band's vehicle.
Vocalist Ostlund, bassist Jesse Pollack, drummer Sturgis Cunningham and percussionist Jon Moore have been playing together for two and a half years. They have formed a sound with a wide range of influences from '60s jams to modern rhythm.
Brand New Bang conveys diversity in its message. The CD is seasoned with a wide variety of messages mixed into the funk, ranging from heartbreak to politics.
"Our music is about things that affect us emotionally," Ostlund said.
He said each member contributes to the song production. The songs are generated when the time is right and someone feels creative, giving the music an easygoing feel.
"We are really into track six, which is 'Keep On,' Ostlund said. "We had a bunch of friends come over into the recording studio and we had them clap and sing along. It was kind of like a party."
Brand New Bang is a product of the band's newfound sense of maturity and an abundance of studio time since its debut CD, My Friends and I. For the band's second album, Patiokings teamed up with friends to build a studio of their own.
"It is really nice, and it gives us a lot more time and freedom to do what we want," Ostlund said.
After the tour wraps up in mid-July, Ostlund says they plan to continue a more intimate tour of the New England area before they settle down and concentrate on making a third CD .
For more information on the tour or the band, visit
www.patiokings.com.
For more information on vegetable-fueled vehicles, visit
www.greasecar.com.
