NEW YORK — Some notable January events that took place around Holy Name Province:

One Year Ago
Jan. 19, 2009 — Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, made his first trip to Peru to visit six Holy Name friars who serve two parishes in the southern outskirts of Lima.

Jan. 27, 2009 — Cardinal Edward Egan visited St. Stephen of Hungary School on East 82nd Street in New York during Catholic Schools Week. The school was chosen from 200 Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York.

Five Years Ago
Jan. 30, 2005 — Holy Name Province announced it would be assuming the administration of Sacred Heart Parish in Tampa, Fla. (Recently, pastor Andrew Reitz, OFM, helped launch the parish’s bookstore and gift shop, and currently, he is helping to plan this year’s commemorations of Sacred Heart’s 150th anniversary.)

10 Years Ago
Jan. 28, 2000 — The late Joel Campbell, OFM, began serving as president of Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in Buffalo, N.Y.

35 Years Ago
Jan. 10, 1975 — Five friars moved into the convent of the former Christ the King Seminary in Allegany, N.Y., to begin an experimental satellite fraternity called the Ockham House Community. After several years, it was referred to as the St. Thomas More community. The satellite was eventually disbanded.

Jan. 28, 1975 — The Franciscan Institute of St. Bonaventure University received an $80,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

— Compiled by Rebecca Doel, who invites readers to submit to the Communications Office ideas of the most important Provincial events and developments of 2009. A list of these with accompanying Web links and HNP Today stories will appear in the next issue of this newsletter. The communications staff can be reached at communications@hnp.org and 646-473-0265 ext. 311.

Related Links

“Provincial Minister Visits Peru” — February 2009 HNP Today
“St. Stephen of Hungary Parish Hosts Cardinal” — February 2009 HNP Today
“Joel Campbell Dies” — February 2007 HNP Today

You are now watching: Saint Motel – Butch – Live on Fearless Music

The explosive, psychedelic, indie-pop band Saint Motel is, to put it best, hard to resist, and damn fun. In the world of Saint Motel, nothing bows to convention: Stages become forests and living rooms, and shows become kaleidoscopic mind explosions in 3D.

This theatrically creative world is due in large part to the fact that the gentlemen of Saint Motel met in the summer of 2007 at film school and share a distinct interest in cinema. The band’s keen visual sensibility has yielded an array of stunningly original videos that accompany songs from their recently released debut EP ForPlay, released via the band’s label On The Records, and the physical or digital version of ForPlay includes the free added bonus of the beautiful, ultra-conceptualized videos for each song.

Saint Motel is A/J Jackson (vocals, guitar), A Sharp (lead guitar), Greg Erwin (drums) and Dak (bass) – musicians who constantly experiment and push boundaries within the songwriting process to keep evolving their signature sound that features unique guitar tones and surprising sonic twists throughout. Dear Dictator is the EP’s first single, which is enjoying spins and support from influential Los Angeles radio station KROQ. The song balances a hauntingly beautiful melody and a powerfully familiar-feeling riff. Butch has a Frankie Valli-meets-The Who vibe with its catchy melody, gentle vocals, and huge climax, while Eat Your Heart Out is reminiscent of a more intense Muse with its atmospheric fire. To My Enemies showcases Sharp’s use of the slide guitar that he manipulates to produce a mesmerizing horn-sounding tone. Pity Party has a build reminiscent of an earlier era and takes you away with quick turns and a memorable breakdown that warns “And if the world would end tonight, I won’t be by your side.” ForPlay’s final track, Do Everything Now, is a steady build that grabs you and punch you in the gut with its musical force, and sounds like the soundtrack to Jack Kerouac’s On The Road.

The raw energy apparent in Saint Motel’s music is felt at a new level when experiencing them live. The band’s live shows are marked by this effusive energy and the spectacle of exciting visual soundscapes that blend the sonic with the artful. Jackson explains, ‘People want to be entertained when they go out to see a show so we try to offer not only an energetic performance but also a memorable experience.’ Metromix agrees, stating that ‘Saint Motel never fail to put on a show that’s a treat for the senses’ and The Onion claims ‘Saint Motel has a…particular blend of wholesome indie rock brimming with raucous sexual energy,’ while Flavorpill declares the band ‘Imploring, atonal, and irresistible garage glam.’