The Damn Fanatics

Andy Strong gets “it”. Whats “it”, you might ask? That “it” of knowing when people are going out to see a show, people are doing so hoping to be entertained and have fun. If you can somehow have an act that creates a sense of community within the crowd itself to realize that they were A PART of something makes for a better time had by all. (hello HOODSLAM)

The Damn Fanatics get this and every member puts on a good show. Equal parts showmanship from guitarist/ringleader Andy Strong and musicality from Cameron and Matt, The Damn Fanatics picked the best name possible in order to get across how to describe their act…

“they performed like a bunch of Damn Fanatics”.

This is what kept replaying in my head while watching Andy Strong command the attention of the audience (and help lead the band) to putting on a hell of a SHOW. Their set was my highlight in musical performance this week.

I’m happy to say that I can’t wait to see another Damn Fanatics set because when you describe what you do on stage and mention the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson as an inspiration (in his city mind you) you’ve set yourself up for a high bar to jump for…The Damn Fanatics know how to set the bar at the correct height and properly jump over that bar. Not in a smug way…just a “yeah we’re a SHOW to be SEEN” type of way. - iheartsfbands.com

If you’re looking for a stellar indie rock band to catch this weekend, check out the Damn Fanatics. - SF Weekly

Andy Strong is a mad man in the best possible sense. And it seems the Damn Fanatics all seem to fit that mold.



My first time witnessing their live spectacle was on a patio at a birthday party. The sun was still out, but their attitude boldly suggested “night time”. The Damn Fanatics are damn fascinating, with a unique sense of fashion (there were top hats and a Jack Skellington head, oh and Andy had some serious BLING), bizarre riffs, and stage antics that bring one back to CBGB’s in the late 70s. It is safe to say the Damn Fanatics are, as my good friend puts it, “on some whole other shit.”



And since they trained in the great skill of acting, that is a whole other entity they bring to their performance. It’s like watching Shakespeare the rock opera, but with more updated dialog and kickass drum fills. What the Damn Fanatics do is simply not just “music,” it’s musical theater. With this in mind, it is safe to say they are one of my top acts of the Balanced Breakfast residency to see, and they probably should be for you as well. Don’t miss them with fellow showmen Dangermaker, Beautiful Machines and Bear Lincoln this Thursday at Neck of the Woods! - iheartsfbands.com

You are in for a treat, The Damn Fanatics and Whalesoundz. - sf-inter.com

Everything that could go wrong did … but then we fixed it … and ROCKED. The Damn Fanatics & Bear Lincoln were epic on Mutiny Radio.

Nobody brought extension cords … we plugged too many things into one outlet. Somebody played their base and knocked out the power in the studio. Then I bumped a wire and killed my recording. We fixed power issues … then the bands killed it. - sf-inter.com

Nice to see you again, San Francisco. It's been one whole day since we last hung out together at a live music venue and I missed you, but honestly at this point all these concerts are starting to blur together anyway. This routine seems oddly familiar; after work stopover at Bender's for another Noise Pop happy hour, this time sponsored by Balanced Breakfast. Opting to eat healthy, I crushed a bacon/cheddar/jalapeno burger with the music of Damn Fanatics, Friends Without Benefits, and Bear Lincoln cooking up a storm around the tots. After acting social while sipping on Little Somethin', it was off to Rickshaw Stop again for a musty night of somethin' somethin'. - SF Weekly

"The band is a combination of boot-stomping rock n' roll, festive Doors' reminiscent synths and dance-worthy melodies that will inevitably get you moving."


The Damn Fanatics are fun. It's as easy as that.

To expand a bit more, though, I wrote that after the first time I got to sit down with the band in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. It was the first note I made after I walked away from them and jumped in my car to head home, and still now after talking to them a bit more and getting a chance to know them, it's the best summation of The Damn Fanatics.

The encounter was what I expected from listening to their music. Andy Strong, who plays vocals and guitar in the band talked quickly, smiling through every word he spoke, and came bearing a handful of beers for everyone in the band. Matt Grandy, who plays keys and also sings, was quiet but attentive, with an eye of precision that matches the organ synths sound that compliments the rowdy-but-poppy nature of the bands' music. Cameron Mark Lewis, the drummer and percussionist of the band, was energetic, focused and immediately willing to contribute to the conversation we had. It's a trifecta, in some sense. The group of people who went to parties together in college and were able to wingman their way into the rowdiest parties, while still shining as the center of attention.

The Damn Fanatics are that and the type of band you can crush "a bacon/cheddar/jalapeno burger" to. The band is a combination of boot-stomping rock n' roll, festive Doors' reminiscent synths and dance-worthy melodies that will inevitably get you moving. Their newest (and unreleased) track, "Find Someone to Love" is a portrait of The Damn Fanatics' oath to provide all listeners and show attendees a chance to have a sweaty good time. The breakdown of the song, where Strong bursts into a vocal-esque solo of lyrics, is one of the great highlights of the song. Check it out below.



Post-beers was the best time to talk to the band, so we did just that, talking a bit about the process of choosing their name to the rationale behind what they would consider to be their spirit animals.

The Bay Bridged: How did the Damn Fanatics come to be? Where does the name come from?

Cameron Mark Lewis: I shouted in a bout of desperation, and the rest is history.

Matt Grandy: The name was Cameron’s genius. We went through a ton of name ideas, including briefly calling ourselves The Heist before being sent a cease-and-desist Facebook message from some dude in the UK. While kicking around new and mostly terrible ideas, Camo commented that we’re “just a bunch of damn fanatics,” and we all looked at each other with lightbulbs appearing above our heads.

Andy Strong: It had been a particularly fanatical evening.

TBB: In one sentence, how would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard of you before?

AS: We play fool shakin' Psychedelic Fru Fru Party Rock.

CML: Psychedelic Pop-Hop Rock n' Roll.

MG: Psychedelic garage rock that will make you want to move.

AS: We agree on certain things.

TBB: This is your first EP, what was the process like? Any pivotal moments through the writing/recording/post-production steps that stand out?

MG: It really was a great learning and growth process for us. We conceived and honed the songs in live jam settings, so they’re bristling with the crazy spontaneity and infectious energy that we try to bring to our live performances. The challenge was to figure out how to bring that energy into the studio, where there’s no crowd to get you pumped up.

AS: We are very lucky to have such a great community through the Balanced Breakfast meetups. We met our producer AJ McKinley at BB as well as our mastering engineer, Piper Payne. One of my favorite parts was trying to pick my jaw up off the floor as Piper wizard-ed songs to the next level.

CML: It was really interesting to see how much work goes into mixing and mastering a song. It was my first time recording in the studio, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was feeling a little nervous before we started, but once we started recording I just started feeling the music and we got into a good groove together. The best moment was when our producer, AJ McKinley, came out of the control room and picked up a guitar and started jamming with us.

TBB: What is each of your spirit animals and why?

MG: Mine is a koala, because they’ve got claws, but they’re way too chill to ever need to use them.

AS: My spirit animal is two sparkling floating purple octopi in space. Also, a tiger. Both from vivid dreams.

CML: Just checked and my spirit animal is a Toucan. Thanks Google. Ironically, it sounded exactly like me, so I think it's legit.

TBB: What is next for you guys? What’s one thing you want to leave readers with?

MG: Tuesday September 15 is our "Find Someone To Love" Single Release Party, at the amazing PianoFight Theater at 144 Taylor Street. We’re gonna play a sweaty dance party, and we’ll have some awesome guests with us as well. You can find reasonably-priced tickets on Eventbrite.

CML: This is a milestone we've been looking forward to achieving, and it feels great to get there. We also just finished shooting the music video for the single, so expect that to be dropping soon. I hope the readers come to the show and have a sweaty good time with us!

AS: You can also catch 2/3 of TDF at Pianofight at 8am on Thursday mornings for arts community meetups. Balanced Breakfast (Music) & Coffee & Catchup (Film). Camo runs the Film group. I sling coffee behind the bar & dance for tips.

MG: Also, those tickets to September 15th's release show at Pianofight are at Eventbrite.

AS: And if you made it to the end of this article, use promo code FS12L for the secret $10 ticket :)

The Damn Fanatics
PianoFight
Tuesday, September 15
8pm, $12 (All Ages)

Tags: The Damn Fanatics - The Bay Bridged