Courier

Media Credit: Jenny Bartlett Left to right, David Ramirez, Tyler Kniep and Jonathan Barrales, The Cutout Casuals, mix different musical genres in order to distinguish their sound from the rest of the local scene.

Standing nervously waiting for the crowd to settle down, they finally receive thumbs up from the sound check and with the first riffs of his guitar a surge of energy rushes through the crowd and all the jitters all but disappear.

The Cutout Casuals is the collaborative effort of PCC student David Ramirez and his friends, Tyler Kniep and Jonathan Barrales, as they formed the band in June of 2008.

Ramirez, an 18-year-old music major, has been playing music since he was seven years old, and now he is the lead singer and guitarist for his newfound band.

"It all started with me and Tyler (Kniep) jamming and once we met Jonathan, everything came together and the band was formed," said Ramirez.

The band has been trying to get recognition any way they can, taking on every gig they can get.

"We're trying to get our name out there. We've played fundraisers, backyard parties and little venues," said Ramirez.

One of the bands first major gigs was at the world famous Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood.

Since then, they have played at The Glasshouse and are ready for their first show at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim on June 10.

"It's a great feeling playing on stage. We feed off the crowd and their energy is our energy," said Ramirez.

Ramirez feels the sound of the band is a mix of Blink-182, a bit of Rancid and dash of Sublime.

A mix-clash of punk, ska and reggae, but the band's approach is a refreshing escape from the sounds of screaming, emo and catchy Indie music that fills the radios, social networks and music blogs today.

"It was a bit of everything I grew up listening to," Ramirez said. "We try to approach our music from a different aspect.

"There's a lot of substance to the lyrics I write [they're] just about life, growing up and being an adult now but we try to keep it fun and upbeat," he said.

As the band was preparing for its first show at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, which took place last night, Ramirez was excited about showcasing the band's new material for the first time and appreciates the support he gets from friends and fans.

"Everything sounds the same on radio," said band manager Danny Reyes, a 19-year-old marketing major.

"At the shows everyone is a friend and you don't feel like an outside," said Reyes.

Connie Shen, an 18-year-old communication major, is a friend and fan of the band and agrees with Reyes' statement.

"They have this unique sound that is unique and friendly," said Shen.

The Cutout Casuals will be entering a battle of the bands competition at the Pasadena's Guitar Center on June 28.

The winner of the competition will have the chance to play in the Vans Warp Tour this summer.

"Hopefully we breakthrough and it will be a great opportunity for us," said Ramirez."

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