High-energy group earning mass appeal

Almost every band considers themselves the hardest-working band on the road. Flash Cassidy is out to prove it on every tour stop. The high-energy group from St. Louis, MO., will perform at 10 p.m. Oct. 14 at Club ZU.

Flash Cassidy uses the successful, yet grueling practice known as guerrilla marketing to promote their band. The group heads into the town they will be playing a few days ahead of their scheduled performance date, in order to meet new friends, make fans and attempt to be readily available to play a show anywhere at any time.

"We'll play in your living room for free," said Pat Hilton, vocalist for Flash Cassidy.

The hard-rocking act visits university campuses, shopping malls and local hangouts to help spread their name.

This is the second tour for the young band. Cassidy has only been together for about two years. They first embarked on a tour of the Midwest before deciding to commit to their current nationwide tour.

Appropriately named, the "Time to Get Serious Tour," is also the first time that one-half of the band would have traveled this far south. Bass player Terry Moses and Hilton have been through the Southwest before, while guitar player Mike Baer and drummer Wes Petty have not seen the sights of Texas, Arizona and California.

Hilton described Flash Cassidy's sound as "radio friendly rock," comparing the band's sound to Incubus, Nickelback and Breaking Benjamin.

Flash Cassidy also describe their songs as "fan friendly." The bands' songs are not the epic jams popularized by progressive rock bands. Most of the songs played by the quartet are three-and-a-half minutes long, enough to excite without becoming a bore.

Flash Cassidy's radio-friendly sound promises to be popular among all audiences.

"We don't cuss, we put on a clean-cut show for everyone from the ages of 14 to 40," Hilton said.

Zeppelin's Underground bartender Benjamin Jordan is positive about the turnout for the Flash Cassidy show.

"Because of our proximity to the university, I expect that we will get a good crowd due to their sound," Jordan said.

Zeppelin's Underground owner Rudy Marks agreed with Jordan.

"Alternative has always done well," Marks said. "We like to have a variety of music."

Hilton said that they chose to play El Paso for two reasons. The first being that the city is an obvious stop on the way to Phoenix. The second reason was because of the friends they have living here that also attend UTEP.

"My buddies told me this was a great place to get into, and we hope to play here more regularly," Hilton said.

Although bands like Incubus, Nickelback and Breaking Benjamin best portray Flash Cassidy's sound, their influences vary from the pop sounds of these popular acts. Hilton credits Widespread Panic and Phish as heroes for the band.

"They went out, set up their equipment and played for free," Hilton said. "You gotta play for free before you play for 500 people."

Flash Cassidy has spent many nights sleeping in parking lots just to be the first to arrive on campus. The band does so in order to meet anybody who may know of a party the group can play later that day.

"You'll never run into another band that works harder," Hilton said. "We eat, sleep and drink this job."

Hilton suggests that live-music fans, who are on the fence about attending their show, look up the band's Web site in order to see clips of past shows. The quartet films every show they play on the road and produces a montage of their favorite clips from their set.

"You should really come out 'cause we shred, we'll put a smile on your face," Hilton said.

Crystal Robert may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.