The Lamping Shades

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:20:29 +0000

Hey, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, and Junior Murvin fans! In the heart of Wilmington, NC, resides what could possibly be the chillest band on the East Coast. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce…The Lamping Shades. Members of this funky, reggae group include percussionist and trombonist Mason Swimmer of Charlotte, NC; guitarist/bassist, and vocalist Conor Delaney of Chatham, MA; guitarist/bassist Paul Gramigna of Vista, NY; guitarist/bassist and vocalist Chris Tuorto of Cary, NC; Reuben Rosado of Atlantic Beach, NC, on drum set; vocalist Timmins Mervin of Concord, NC; and vocalist Nic Aguero of Miami, FL.
The Lamping Shades has been together for two years, with the inclusion of Reuben in September of 2008, one year ago. As far as genres go, these guys can best classify themselves as “whatever makes people dance,” though they did name a few specific styles such as reggae, funk, hip hop, and ska. Their influence comes from anything and everything that they enjoy listening to.
These laid-back fellas first met in Galloway Hall, right here on campus. They found each other at a friend’s party one night and “it was fate.” Reuben joined later when he came over to jam and fell right in with the group.
So what is the deal with the name, “The Lamping Shades”? Sure, it’s a play on words…but what your average layman may not realize is that the term “lamping” is a synonym for “chilling.” Therefore, the term “lamping like a shade” refers to being in a relaxing mood…”chilling,” for lack of a better word. If someone were to ask one of the band members, “Hey, what are you doing?” they would reply, “I’m just lamping like a shade.” It was a phrase they had always used, so they decided to incorporate it into the band name. Let me tell you, with a band as cool as these guys, no one knows how to be lamping like a shade better than The Lamping Shades!
How does a band like The Lamping Shades get started with performing around Wilmington? Start at the Juggling Gypsy! The band first played at the popular hookah hang-out on one of the open mic nights. Afterwards, they were contacted by a girl who wanted them to perform for “Rock for Sustainability,” an environmental fundraiser that was held at the Soapbox. The first complete band show, when their drummer finally joined the group, was at a sorority event on the UNCW campus.
Speaking of gigs…I asked The Lamping Shades about their best, worst, and weirdest gigs so far. Their best gig was at Battle of the Bands, hosted by the Sandbar. It comes as no surprise why they picked this particular performance – they played two songs and won! Their worst gig was on 4th of July when the club was packed, people were trying to dance to the group’s music, and their drummer arrived three hours late! The Lamping Shades have several weird shows. Once, they played two Friday the 13ths in a row!
The Lamping Shades’ favorite performance venue? With a place like Wilmington, it’s definitely tough to choose! The band enjoys playing at Lucky’s, the Soapbox, 16 Taps, Diesel, and at the Azalea Festival. However, the performances that hold dearest to their hearts are the good ole house parties!
If you have a band and you’re looking for some sound advice concerning your performance career, The Lamping Shades has just the gems of wisdom for you – don’t get too wasted before you play, stay sober before you go on stage, and, most importantly, “stay ‘gnar’ and you’ll go far!”
You can catch The Lamping Shades at their next show on October 1st, 10:00 pm, at the Soapbox. Tickets are $5. You can also read more about the band and listen to their “gnar” tunes at myspace.com/thelampingshades.

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The Lamping Shades