Nonstop To Cairo
Introductions
Nonstop to Cairo is the intersection between ska, rock, and hip-hop, bringing together swinging melodies with heavier rock vocals and raps. Their roster includes Nick Diamond (guitar/vocals), August Harris (vocals), Andrew Gemara (saxophone), Kevin Itwaru (trumpet/keys), Ed Nevin (bassist), and Jake Dickinson (drums). Originating as a hard rock group, the band took a turn after Nick suffered a finger injury at work. There was some experimenting with other instruments during his time healing up, and as we all know, one horn leads to another (like cats). Suddenly they found themselves skanking and jiving, rapping and rhyming, and they haven’t been able to quit (we called the CDC but haven’t heard back yet—stupid automated systems).
One of their favorite songs to play is “Influenzska,” which discusses the feverish drive some people have to keep pushing towards their dreams. That kind of dedication is often overwhelming, compelling you to persist in whatever challenges lie ahead, no matter what negativity surrounds you. While the diagnosis often comes with side effects such as burnout, a diminished social life, and high blood pressure, harnessing the perks can bring success in nearly all endeavors.
Tours & Shows
Nonstop to Cairo have made their way up and down the East Coast, touched down in the Midwest, and even made it all the way out to California and Texas a few times. One time in Florida the band lost track of Nick; he was discovered in the morning marinating in the van, roasting in the southern heat. When interrogated about his disappearance (and apparent death wish) he produced an audio recording of the song he wrote before passing out in there, dedicated to capturing it before the idea was lost.
They will be returning to the stage once again at the Great South Bay Music Festival on Friday, July 19th on a monster bill with Slightly Stupid, Sublime with Rome, SOJA, Common Kings, The Scofflaws, Patent Pending and fellow LongIslandSound.love alum Oogee Wawa, Samurai Pizza Cats, The Regulars (with our Melanie Victoria), Aqua Cherry, The Big Happy and Kate Usher & The Sturdy Souls. Represent!
Influences & Inspiration
With a seven-piece band whose sound is so diverse, their music tastes are unsurprisingly eclectic. Listing influences like Duke Ellington to Deadmau5, Sly and the Family Stone, A Tribe Called Quest, James Brown, Soul Coughing, and Phish you can see how Nonstop to Cairo ended up with such a unique sound.
2017 celebrated the release of their full length album Dabble Heavy (as a dabbler at heart, I approve), a fifteen-track adventure featuring Jesse Lee from Oogee Wawa in the opening song “Intro”. Hit up your streaming platform of choice and find their self-titled EP and a handful of singles, including recently released “Balcony”.
“Embrace uncertainty... the gamble is always right when you believe in yourself.”