Rockin’ with the Locals

The Youngstown-based rock band Full Moon Canoe played April 5 at Chipper’s Sports Bar & Grill.

Full Moon Canoe consists of vocalist Justin Mitchell, bassist Aaron Tyger, guitarist Matt Servenack and drummer Rob Craig.

Accompanying Full Moon Canoe were Dakota Spells Disaster, Light of the Loon and headliners Chapless Larry. The musical event was part of a string of gigs put on by Supporting Your Local Music.

“It’s a really exciting time for local music,” Mitchell said. “It seems like there’s a new appetite for original music that’s really being given a chance to thrive with things like Supporting Your Local Music.”

Full Moon Canoe formed in 2009. Since that time, the group has experienced its share of member changes.

Mitchell joined the band in August of 2013. He met Tyger through a mutual friend.

“That night, within an hour, we had written our first song together,” Mitchell said. “I had not been in a band.”

Full Moon Canoe had a vocalist at the time of Tyger and Mitchell’s meeting. Sometime after that, Tyger contacted Mitchell, asking him if he would be interested in auditioning for the band.

“Part of me was like, ‘oh my god, can I do that?’” Mitchell said. “Then the other part of me said, ‘yeah, you’re going to kick yourself if you don’t.’”

Full Moon Canoe creates a sound that, as Tyger put it, is rock n’ roll in the broadest sense.

“If you miss a song in our set, you’ve missed something unique,” Mitchell said.

Akron’s self-described indie-bizarro, anti-folk rock band Light of the Loon played third in the evening’s lineup.

Light of the Loon is comprised of Amy Heisei on vocals and keyboard, Sharon Possibly on vocals, Alisha Healey on drums, Dani Hinds on flute and Raquel Castillo on violin.

Light of the Loon originally consisted of two members and then progressively grew into its current five-piece band.

Opening the evening was punk rock outfit Dakota Spells Disaster. The band is made up of Steven Wittkugle on guitar and vocals, EJ Halle on bass and vocals and Eric Gallo on drums.

The band was originally formed in 2010. Dakota Spells Disaster’s current lineup is nearly a year old.

“Eric and I first met back in high school listening to Disturbed together,” Wittkugle said.

Dakota Spells Disaster takes inspiration from expected punk acts such as Alkaline Trio or The Dopamines and heavier groups like Godsmack.

The group expressed a concern for the current state of Youngstown’s music scene.

“It’s the underground of the underground,” Wittkugle said. “There’s a lot of good talent that nobody has ever heard of, and refuses to go listen to. Which is sad.”

Finishing the evening was the return of the metal group Chapless Larry, playing its first show since Halloween of last year.