Mike Portnoy Excited About First Adrenaline Mob Gig — Interview
Mike Portnoy sounds fired up about his latest venture, Adrenaline Mob. "I got the idea [to play live] in the shower the other day," laughed legendary drummer Mike Portnoy. "I mean, we were getting together for band pictures so I thought, what the hell, let's give a few people a taste of this music we're all getting so excited about."
The band, also featuring Stuck Mojo/Fozzy guitarist Rich Ward, Symphony X vocalist Russell Allen, Sonic Stump guitarist Mike Orlando, and bassist Paul DiLeo, came together in the last few months and have nearly finished an 11-song album that's about to be shopped around to labels.
Regardless of label interest, Portnoy cannot wait to let the public in on what he calls his "amazing little secret."
"The feedback we've gotten back so far has been unreal," he told Noisecreep. "Even my wife, who's been through it all with me, says it's the best stuff she's ever heard me play on. I played in Dream Theater for 25 years, plus some other pretty decent bands including Avenged Sevenfold, so that's really saying something."
Portnoy simply can't wait to show off the fruits of his most recent labors. That's why this Friday, June 24th, Adrenaline Mob will be playing a special one-night showcase at the Hiro Ballroom in New York City.
"We'll be performing the full album and a few classic covers," Portnoy said. "We've got a few seats left for fans that want to go. Plus, our Facebook page has seen a ton of action - more than 17,000 fans in just a couple of days. There's a fantastic initial buzz about the music just from the little audio teaser we posted."
Portnoy realizes that in this grab-your-cellphone-and-record-the-show era we live in, it's risky to perform a yet-to-released record, but he has a simple plan. "We'll just come straight out and ask the fans to be cool about it. This is not that big a venue so it won't be like a huge Dream Theater show with thousands of people recording. We think by just asking politely that we'll be able to contain everything."
Portnoy says the band is "ripped and ready" to tour but for now, the priority is finding the right label.
Still, the idea of this week's debut show has him bouncing off the walls..
"I've listened to these tunes so many times already and all I want to do is go out and play them live with this band," he says. "I've always had lots of side projects in my life, but what's exciting for me is knowing that Adrenaline Mob is bigger than that. This is a real band with a real future and 11 new songs that I think the fans are going to flip for. This last year for me has been such an emotional rollercoaster, with lots of dramatic highs and lows, so to be in this place right now with these guys and this music - let's just say it's a very happy place for me."
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