Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Via Sahara to play final show

Ten years is a long time, and for the members of Via Sahara, 10 years went by in the blink of an eye.

In 10 years, they opened for national acts like Candlebox, Seether and Three Doors Down. They released three CDs, played in all five VexFests and went through five bass players.

They are all best friends, and on Sept. 6, they are packing up their gear and saying goodbye.

Drummer and founding member Matt Colla says when he decided to move to Fort Myers, Fla., his fellow band members were the first people he told. He says when he told guitarist Tim McNickle and vocalist Jason Wurst, other founding members, their reactions were the same — this would mark the end of Via Sahara.

“It’s kind of bittersweet to me because this has been the most important thing in my life,” Colla says. “I’ve done this longer than I’ve done anything else. At the same time, it was flattering and it made me sad.”

Via Sahara played their first show in October 1998 at Cedars with Raul, a now-disbanded blues/ soul band from the area. Colla says he remembers they did so much advertising and promoting for that show that there was a line out the door. He says they came to the realization that night that they could begin headlining shows right off the bat.

Wurst says they learned from that night.

“We also realized the financial difference of being a headliner and an opening band,” Wurst said. “We brought all those people and got hosed.”

During their tenure as a local band, was Via Sahara successful? Yes, and no, they say. They definitely did things right ­— they’re still friends, after all, but could they have done better? Probably.

Colla says his biggest regret is not branching out when they had the chance. He says when they started, everyone was in their early 20s and had far fewer commitments than they have today.

“I’m not saying we should have left this area, but I think we should have branched out,” Colla says. “We could have taken more risks in the very beginning.”

Guitarist Tim Ubry, who has been close to the band since the beginning, but officially joined in 2005, agrees.

They should have gone out farther, possibly starting in Akron and working their way west or south, he said.

“It started happening with the advent of MySpace,” Ubry says. “We started getting reactions from that, and it was cool, but by that time, we didn’t have a way to capitalize. When you get older, you have a life and it’s hard to take that step to tour.

"It’s a fine balance; I was there and I watched it happen.”

Wurst says they over-exposed themselves in a small market. They probably should have played fewer shows in Youngstown, and made each one of them special, he said.

“We just went, ‘Wow, this is awesome. Let’s do it as much as we possibly can,’ ” Wurst said. “Music fans in general get finicky about those things. When you play, it’s gotta be an event.”

Collectively, the five-piece agrees that they did more right than wrong. Colla says one thing he’s sure they did right was develop certain comfort and friendship levels within the band. There’s nothing more important than being honest with each other and keeping everyone in check, he said.

“I don’t think anyone sat back and let something slide,” Colla said. “The sad thing about it is, this is the best we’ve ever sounded. I guess I’d rather go out like that.”

Bassist Joe Kent was a member from 2001 to '03, then rejoined in '07. He said that going back and forth from being a fan to a member showed him that not only do you have to be honest and supportive with other members, but you have to be happy with your product.

Wurst agrees with Colla and Kent, but added that ‘“success” goes beyond writing a good song.

“It’s not all about the music,” Wurst said. “It’s a business and you have to treat it like a business.”

McNickle interrupted: ”And, you have to like each other.”

In regard to their final show, the band says they have mixed feelings. In some ways, Wurst says it’s for them to have one final night of rock stardom, but it’s also for their fans who have supported them for a decade.

“It’s a party,” Wurst said. “It’s not us trying to prove anything and it’s not us trying to move on to the next thing. We want to go out with a bang. It’s a fan appreciation night for us.”

This night may be different for Colla, since he’s leaving the area, but he said he wants to it to be a night to remember.

“It’s going to be emotional, absolutely,” Colla said. “We’re all best friends, and this is our way of not saying goodbye to each other. I have a lot of good friends in this area, but with these guys, it’s different. I don’t think I’ll ever have a relationship again in my entire life like this one. It’s gonna be a party and that’s it. I wanna leave there smiling.”

Kent said the final show is a celebration of what they’ve accomplished; Ubry said although Via Sahara is ending, their friendships will remain the same.

As for future projects, McNickle said they will probably dabble in something, but Via Sahara isn’t over until The Cellar locks its doors.

“I don’t even want to think about it until it’s done,” McNickle said. “There’s time to think about [future projects].”

Via Sahara’s final show will be an all-ages event at The Cellar. Featured bands include Joe Verzilli, Sotaro, Super No. 7, and The Kellys. The show starts at 8 p.m. and advance tickets are $10. Admission is $12 at the door and there will be a $3 upcharge for anyone under 21.