Friday, December 13, 8 p.m.
The Rust Belt, 533 12th Avenue, East Moline IL
Platinum-selling, chart-topping alternative rockers whose single “Sex & Candy” spent 15 weeks at the top of Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, the post-grunge musicians of Marcy Playground bring their talents to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on December 13, demonstrating their continued gifts, after 20-plus, for delivering what AllMusic.com deemed “hard-edged, melodic pop songs with strong hooks and backbeats.”
Currently composed of band founder John Wozniak on lead vocals and guitar, Dylan Keefe on bass, and Shlomi Lavie on drums, Marcy Playground had its origins after Wozniak moved east to New York in order to work with multi-instrumentalist Jared Kotler, who John had known from suburban Philadelphia. Meanwhile, mutual friend Kurt Rosenwinkel introduced bassist Keefe to Wozniak, and with the band composed of Wozniak, Keefe, and Kotler, Marcy Playground began performing in New York City. After hearing two records' worth of material Wozniak had recorded, executives from Capitol Records became interested in the music, and the band was signed to Capitol in 1995. After a year of playing the New York music scene, drummer Dan Rieser was brought in to replace Kotler, and Marcy Playground's self-titled debut album was released in 1997, with the first single “Poppies” released soon after. Marcy Playground hit the mainstream with the success of the single “Sex & Candy,” which led to platinum sales of 1.4 million copies, 15 weeks atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and the album landing the top spot on Billboard's Heatseekers chart, with additional singles landing with “Saint Joe on the School Bus” and “Sherry Fraser.”
Through the band's 1999 sophomore release Shapeshifters, Marcy Playground scored another success with “It's Saturday” htting number 23 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, and since then the group released 2004's MP3, 2009's Leaving Wonderland … in a fit of rage (with drummer Lavie joining the band for its 2009 tour), and the 2012 compilation album Lunch, Recess, & Detention. Marcy Playground also performed alongside Everclear, Sugar Ray, Lit, and the Gin Blossoms on the 2012 Summerland Tour, and the band's songs can be heard on the soundtracks to such films as Cruel Intentions, Antitrust, and Simply Irresistible. Clerks and Chasing Amy auteur Kevin Smith also counts himself a major Marcy Playground fan, and has included songs by the rockers in his features Zack & Miri Make a Porno and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.
Marcy Playground brings its tour to East Moline on December 13, admission to the 9 p.m. concert is $15-20, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRustBeltQC.com.
