FATHERS OF INVENTION: The Entrance.

They’ve changed lineups, they’ve changed names, they’ve even changed scenery, moving temporarily to Florida to play and write. But one thing has remained constant: the band’s passion and single-minded focus on getting their thoughts transcribed to music. With all the changes, it hasn’t been easy. Change is disruptive, especially when you’re going for something more than your standard three-chord rock and roll fare, like the Entrance is. Trying to hit the bull’s-eye on a moving target is futile. So is trying to make a cohesive prog-type album when you expect and demand contributions from each member of the band, but you keep forgetting their names because they’re coming and going so often.
 
Tonight (Thursday the 31st), the band now officially known as the Entrance — Damian Ciccarone, Tim Carroll, Pat Conway, and Ben Wistey — will ring in the initial phase of its new life with a release party for their debut disc, Abortion of a Circle. By the sound of it, this lineup is tight and powerful, and will be around for a while. There’s some real togetherness here, some brilliant, absorbing material that local prog fans will most emphatically dig. The quartet brims with invention; they ooze ideas and they give those ideas voice with great credibility. The five-song demo that was released two years ago has swelled into a stomping, grass-killing progressive monster along the lines of A Perfect Circle, Marillion, or Porcupine Tree. At times, they streamline their ideas; at others they allow their songs to take on harlequin-type shapes and hues.
 
Keyboardist/singer/lyricist Ciccarone holds our hand as he leads us through a sweeping landscape of metal, classically-influenced rock, and undulating ambience passages. His lush keyboard motifs can be pretty (“Hostage”) and pretty crazy, and his voice, thin and quivering, capable of communicating drama with just a whisper, is mesmerizing in ways that only the most compelling singers are capable. Guitarist Carroll veers wildly from scratchy violence (“On a Whim”) and painterly flourishes (“X”) to Rush-style chord progressions and wailing animal sounds (“Death By Day”). “The Omen” sounds like a Little Rascals soundtrack as seen through the eyes of Dream Theater. The disc ends on a roller coaster ride, the seven-plus minute piano drama, “A State of Absence,” which takes more than a little of its inspiration from Dream Theater, with a few stops to pay tribute to Pink Floyd.
 
Everyone gets a chance to shine during this 60-minute workout — including superman drummer Pat Conway, who holds the tent down with little more than a modicum of showiness, which makes the Entrance that rarest of rare breeds of progressive rock band that doesn’t feel the need to call attention to its individuals at the risk of losing sight of the group as a whole.

The Entrance + California Smile + World Threat + Protean Collective + Bit of Light | May 31 | The Living Room, 23 Rathbone Street, Providence | 401.521.5200

The Biltmores go west
After five or so years in Providence, the Biltmores are uprooting and heading to Chicago. “We all knew we wouldn’t stay in Providence forever since none of us are actually from here,” writes bassist George Baxter in an e-mail. The kicker is that Brendan plans on graduating from Providence College this summer and Dan Baxter and Jon Pitts are eager for a change of scenery. In a relatively short time, the band has made some significant progress, playing shows and squeezing out a well-received CD, Same Story, Same Ending, helping the band establish a rep pretty quick. “Once we decided to go for it,” says George, the only member of the band not heading west, “Chicago was the natural choice.” Frontman Leonard, a Winnetka, IL native, used to host The Brendan Leonard Show, a cable access show that was picked up by the ABC Family channel, so his contacts in the Windy City will give the band a good jumpstart, while family and friends will provide a solid support system. “It’s a pretty exciting time and the band’s looking forward to the change. We plan on recording the second album,” says George, who will be grooming a new bass player before leaving, “and playing tons of shows in Chicago and the Midwest to build up more of a geographically diverse following. But we’ll miss Providence a lot and always think fondly of it.”

Wandering eye
It’s a big Saturday, May 2: BAYLIES BAND plays Benjamin’s on Stafford Road in Tiverton with ATLANTIC BLUE and DIGGERS. Call 401.624.3911. At Cats it’s ROLLA, J SMOOTH, OCTANE, HEAD TURNERS, MALEVOLENT SNEAKER TOOTH, and RICK ASHMAN on a show hosted by Derek Shapiro. Call 401.722.0150. The Newport Blues Café will be invaded by THE NEIGHBORHOODS and THE RUDDS. The last time the ’Hoods played Newport the place was a zoo, and this time promises to be even crazier, given their massive following in the City by the Sea. Call 401.841.5510.
 
The RISA Songwriters In the Round event will quiet things down at AS220 on Sunday, May 3, at least from 7 to 9 pm. This month’s lineup is DANA WESTOVER, LISA LAWRENCE, LISA MARTIN, and guest host JOHN FUZEK. The theme is: “It was 20 Years Ago Today.” On Wednesday (the 6th) on Empire Street, you can catch a night of good humor and great music with THE SUPERCHIEF TRIO, CORN MO, and SENTIMENTAL FAVORITES.
 
We were sorry to hear that a promising live music venue, the Penalty Box on North Main Street in Providence, has scaled back its original band bookings and decided to host more cover bands, which is sad news indeed.

Bombard me with e-mails: bobgulla@verizon.net