Well, Rescue Dawn Won’t Ever Unplug Something Unfamiliar Again! [BUFFALO BAND OF THE WEEK]

Pop punk/rock group Rescue Dawn formed in the summer of 2012 and have quickly found their niche in the local music scene.

Ralph DeMarco (guitar/lead vocals), Jonah Wrest (lead guitar/vocals), Tom Balbierz (bass/vocals) and Tanner DeMarco (drums) hail from Hamburg but frequent Buffalo's local venues with their energetic sets.

I spoke to Ralph DeMarco about the band's formation, music and future plans.

Can you tell me about your album, Love, and Other Short Stories?

My brother and I recorded the CD together after the rest of our band quit. We went into the studio and tracked the album. It's songs that he and I wrote together. After that, we were hoping to find new band members to help us push the album and get it to where we thought it should be, and that's when we found our new members. We found our guitarist and bass player in different bands. I played with them previously, but I didn't know them on a personal level until they reached out and contacted me.

What has the response been to your music so far?

It's been great. When we play out around Buffalo, we usually have between two to three hundred people come out.

What's your favorite venue to play in Buffalo?

Definitely The Waiting Room. I think it sounds good in there. I like the room. It's a brand-new venue, and I just feel good vibes. It's got a lot of potential, and I feel like it's a good place for all levels of bands. You can start out there, or you can sell out shows there. It's a good place for bands to play.

Do you have any funny or embarrassing stories to share?

One time we went to practice, and I was a little bit younger and a little bit less wise than I am now. I accidentally unplugged the sump pump to plug in my amplifier, and we had a rainstorm that day. Our practice space flooded about three inches. It's funny in retrospect, but I wasn't laughing as we were bucketing water out of the space.

What are you working on?

Right now we're writing a new record, and we plan on going to New York City next summer to record that. We're focusing on writing and getting everything perfect so we can make that happen.

What makes your music special?

I feel like -- especially lately -- we've been writing songs that really have a meaning behind them, and I feel like people can really relate to what we write about. A lot of the topics are very personal.

Rescue Dawn will be opening for With Life Comes Death on September 15 at the Forvm. They also have a show scheduled on October 4 at the Town Ballroom. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

Hey, local bands: Want to be featured as our Buffalo Band of the Week? Local music aficionados, got a band you want to nominate? Email angela.stefano@townsquaremedia.com with their name!