Crisis Crayons
Written by: Cait Elizabeth - November 2019
Edited by: Travis Ryan
Introductions
Let’s set the stage: You’re standing around at the bar and spot several guys with beers all wearing bright solid shirts and dark ties. There are probably some oddly-shaped instrument cases nearby (horns? here? now?) and probably an article of checkerboard print clothing within arms reach. What is this? It’s Crisis Crayons! If you’re looking for some easy-going, boogie-inducing ska music, this is your stop. Get off. You’ve arrived.
If Crisis Crayons jogs an animated memory for you, I bet you’re a Bob’s Burgers fan; the name was born out of the grief puppet skit in season one. The band was birthed in 2011 by Mike Marg (trumpet), Heather O’Gara (sax/vocals), Sean McGovern (Blue Crayon/guitar/vocals), Kevin Jackson (Yellow Crayon/trombone), Erik Eriksen (Green Crayon/bass), and Ryan McGovern (Purple Crayon) on drums. The wax figures started out by tackling their favorite ska songs at pizza-fueled practices and taking them to many an open mic across the island. In 2013 Mike and Heather fled the country (to study music in Belgium), so Brian Varneke jumped (skanked?) in on the trumpet. Brian brought chords and melodies to the table for the band to craft into full original songs. Some of his most recent writing has been influenced by our friend Frank Turner. Once the originals came into play, the band started to establish a unique image, a color-coded, nostalgia-themed dream come true: a bunch of dudes in coordinated attire! The Orange Crayon was a wild-card position for a while as the color donned by sit-in musicians. Joe D’Angelo staked his claim on it full-time when he took over trumpet duty from Brian. Though Brian has migrated to Philly, he still works on new songs with the band and jumps in on sets when he’s island-side. According to the Crayola Collective, “Christina Montalto-DuBois sings and plays keyboards for our longer, pop-oriented ‘Party Crayons’ sets.”
The Crayons released the Crisis Crayons EP in 2014, a collection of early originals and a staple cover in Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. Following that up with an all-original full-length album (sadly Britney-free), We Made It, the band started seriously planting earworms like “Single Serving Friend”. The album title naturally found its name in celebration of the writing, recording, and coordinated photo shoot. They came. They saw. They made it.
Subscribe & Support
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BandCamp
www.crisiscrayons.com
crisiscrayonsband@gmail.com
Tours & Shows
A standout show in the Chromatic Chronology (have you noticed we are killing it with these?) is Thanksgiving Eve 2012 at a stuffed Brickhouse Brewery, where their Reel Big Fish, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Streetlight Manifesto covers were adored and their take on Carley Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe” was booed. Their album release party at Katie’s of Smithtown is another favorite (yet appropriately hazy) memory. The band broke out color-coded suits this time around and partied with friends All-New Episode, Behind Deadlines (ouch, I feel that one), and Samurai Pizza Cats.
Mr. Beery’s of Bethpage serves as the crayon box for the moment, as you can tell by their chalkboard schedule full of Crisis Crayons gigs! You can also look forward to CC’s next installment in their seasonal holiday cover series. Rumor has it there’s a good chance the band will find themselves in the recording studio for We Made More!
Some officially unofficial advice: Steer clear of questionable anchovies on questionable pizza. Stay vigilant.
“We’ve had the great fortune of working with a lot of awesome people and places over the last bunch of years, including: Maxwell Peters and Planet of Sound Promotions, Sailor Jerry and Lost at Sea Promotions, Mr. Beery’s, Brickhouse Brewery, 89 North, Katie’s of Smithtown, The Shack at Atlantique, Bad Mary, Flak Jacket, Samurai Pizza Cats, The Pandemics, Harbor Seals, Electric Dream”