New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

What About Frank?


By Gary Wien

originally published: 11/01/2004


What About Frank? is one of the hottest bands along the Jersey Shore these days. In October, they took home the Asbury Music Award for Top Indie Rock Band and were nominated for a bunch of other awards including Top Live Act (Nick Villapiano, the bassist for the band also took home the Top Bassist Award) but what has people jumping the most is the band's intense live show.

The band was started around two years ago by a group of friends who all knew each other from their days at Red Bank Regional High School. About a year ago, the band brought Marc in as lead singer. Originally from Florida, Marc fit in perfectly and the lineup was set. All of the band members are close in age with the youngest being 20 and the oldest at 23.

Depending on where you see the band play live, you might see two entirely different audiences. In addition to building up a solid following among the bar crowd, What About Frank? has tons of under-age fans. Paul Ritchie, the guitarist for the band says this stems from a lot of their fans passing the music down to their younger brothers and from a show that they did at their own high school. The show was at a coffeehouse organized by the sister of the band's drummer.

"We had an audience of 200-300 kids," recalled Ritchie. "Ever since then, I guess they've just been passing it on. It's worked out well for us. We're still getting emails asking when are we going to play our next all ages show. I think there's a lot of younger kids that are really into it, which is cool.

"We try to do as much as we can for the people that are already interested in us to keep them coming around. We play music because we love to do it, but we enjoy having peopel get into it and we try to give as much back to them as possible. It's like developing a friendship. We want all of our fans to get along."




Please support the advertisers at New Jersey Stage!
Want info on how to advertise? Click here



The band is getting ready to record its first full-length album. They plan on working with John Noll of Retromedia Sound Studios in Red Bank. Currently the band members are working on the songs and getting everything ready. If all goes well, the record should be done in a few months.

Every member of the band contributes something to each song whether it's a guitar riff or the way a particular vocal should sound. Ritchie says the band works well together and that shows in the music they create.

"We want to make sure we have the tunes, finish the album, and just go out and support it," said Ritchie.

What About Frank? is discovering that one of the toughest things about being known as a great live act is trying to recreate that sound in the studio.

"It's hard for us," explains Ritchie. "We just enjoy being in the moment, playing the tunes and rocking out and we have a great time doing it. When it comes to making a record, it's hard to try and convey that type of energy on a recording. That's the hardest thing for us to capture because we all feel that above all we're a live band."

And a damn good one at that...



Gary Wien has been covering the arts since 2001 and has had work published with Jersey Arts, Upstage Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Backstreets and other publications. He is a three-time winner of the Asbury Music Award for Top Music Journalist and the author of Beyond the Palace (the first book on the history of rock and roll in Asbury Park) and Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists. In addition, he runs New Jersey Stage and the online radio station The Penguin Rocks. He can be contacted at gary@newjerseystage.com.




Please support the advertisers at New Jersey Stage!
Want info on how to advertise? Click here



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Straight

Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90’s Part 2

Tuesday, July 08, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music


 

Frisson

Frisson Winds

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 

Three

Three American Troubadours: A Tribute to James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: music


 

Candlelight

Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: music


 

Motor

Motor City Revue

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Bell Theater
101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
category: music


 


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

All-Bluegrass,

All-Bluegrass, All Night: Live at Albert Hall on July 12th

​​​​​​​(WARETOWN, NJ) -- On Saturday, July 12, 2025, Albert Music Hall will present an evening dedicated entirely to Bluegrass music. The event begins at 6:00pm and features six live performances, each offering a 30-minute set, showcasing both new and returning acts.



Jazz

Jazz Concert at Trenton City Museum will Feature the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience

(TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum will present a free jazz concert Friday, July 18, 2025 at the museum's Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park. Featuring world-renowned vibraphonist Joe Baione, the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience is the first group to perform in a series of jazz events leading up to the museum's 2026 TRENTON MAKES JAZZ exhibition, in collaboration with the City of Trenton.



The

The Newton Theatre presents Tonight's the Night - a tribute to Rod Stewart

(NEWTON, NJ) -- Tonight's the Night - a tribute band that celebrates the music of Rod Stewart - will perform at The Newton Theatre on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 8:00pm.



Hoboken's

Hoboken's Sinatra Park to Host Concert by Freedy Johnson and Karyn Kuhl and the Gang

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Local events organizer, Geri Fallo, who retired last year, is inviting you to celebrate with her, as she embraces new and exciting endeavors. Come enjoy a free evening of music in Hoboken's Sinatra Park (525 Sinatra Drive) on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The evening is presented by Mayor Ravi Bhalla, The Hoboken Division of Cultural Affairs, and Geri Fallo. The event is free, and music starts at 6:30pm. Come early for the best seating.



An

An Interview with Dan Kurtz of The New Deal

Formed in 1999, Toronto, Canada based trio The New Deal, is a pioneer in jam-based electronic music. The group was founded by remaining members Dan Kurtz (bass) and Jamie Shields (keys), along with Darren Shearer (drums) who left tND in 2011. Since its inception, tND has remained committed to its improvisational roots and has served as a model for other jamtronica bands bridging the gap between multiple music genres as well as the border between Canada and the United States.