Noah's Arcade
Gig Seeker Pro

Noah's Arcade

Aurora, Illinois, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012

Aurora, Illinois, United States
Established on Jan, 2012
Band Rock Blues Rock

Calendar

Music

Press


"Unsung Melody Reviews Noah's Arcade, Robert Randolph at the Park West"

"The night started off with a band from the Chicago suburbs, Noah’s Arcade. You never know what you’ll get with an opening band and I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised. Based on crowd reaction song after song, I wasn’t the only one. Singer/guitarist Noah Gabriel’s vocals and experienced guitar playing had the full attention of this Chicago crowd well before their set was even halfway over. Their set started with On the Run that had guitar heavy riffs and a beat that made you want to move your body. Add to that Noah’s deep sounding vocals and you had the perfect opening song for their set. During East of Midnight, the lyrics were emotionally expressed on Noah’s face. Add in backing vocals from bassist Chad Watson not to mention Noah’s tasty guitar solo and again, they had another hit with the crowd.

Noah’s Arcade photo gallery

While Noah appeared to be the master of guitar licks, he even played guitar behind his head for part of a song, he was also a very good story teller if you paid attention to the lyrics. The band played some slower tracks like Electric Rain that, if you let it, enveloped you into the vibe and sound of a peaceful afternoon. Their hour long set ended with When Im Gone, which started off with drummer Justin O’Connell before heading straight into that beautiful distorted guitar sound and Noah’s mesmerizing vocals.

By the time Noah’s Arcade had finished, the floor of the Park West was pretty full of fans eager and waiting for Robert Randolph and the Family Band." - Unsung Melody - Teresa Burke


"Article"

Music isn’t a job for singer, songwriter and guitarist Noah Gabriel. It’s part of who he is.

“I don’t know if I can say I always wanted to be a musician, but I always knew that music moved me,” said Gabriel, 28. “As I got older and started playing, of course, I wanted to be a recording artist. For me, I guess I always felt invisible, and playing music offered me a way to be heard and seen.”

Since the 2001 release of his first album “Aurora,” the local artist has been making a name for himself in the music industry. And Friday night, Gabriel will release his fifth album “Mercy Street,” at Two Brothers Roundhouse in downtown Aurora.

“This album was definitely more experimental and moody than my previous albums,” Gabriel said. “All of the songs have their own distinct sound but still work together as a whole.”

For “Mercy Street,” Gabriel collaborated with longtime friend and former high school band mate Mike Bowen.

“We had always talked about recording, so when the opportunity presented itself, we dove in,” the artist said. “Mike and I see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but more importantly, respect each other and trust each other enough to let things just happen. In the end, it turned out to be a really cool album.”

Bowen echoed the sentiment.

“This is probably the most experimental record I’ve ever worked on,” Bowen said. “I’m usually a stay-between-the-lines kind of guy when it comes to production, but Noah really kept pushing to go out of the box.

“I’m really happy with how everything turned out, and impressed with how amazing Noah’s song writing is for this record. Mostly I’m just happy and grateful that Noah included me on this fulfilling project.”

Gabriel, a 2001 graduate of Marmion Academy, said while recording is important, the best part of being a musician is performing in front of a live audience.

“There’s nothing that compares to the feeling I get when I’m on stage and the whole crowd is with me and the band,” he said. “There’s this symbiotic thing that occurs, where each party is feeding off the energy the other is putting out. It’s pretty powerful stuff. It’s what keeps me playing, and what keeps bringing people out to hear live music.”

For Gabriel, it doesn’t matter if he is on stage or in the audience; there is something about live music that can’t be matched.

“I’m not just talking about my shows, but any other live shows in general,” he said. “That’s the beauty of it. I myself am lucky enough to experience this from both sides as a performer and as a fan at other people’s shows.”

Chicago radio morning show host Lisa Dent of US 99.5-FM will emcee the event at Two Brothers, where Gabriel will perform songs from “Mercy Street.”

“Noah’s music is so authentic, it defies labels. He’s a true artist,” Dent said. “I was first introduced to Noah and his music at Concert for a Cure, a fundraiser for the Paul Ruby Foundation. His live performance captured me. I listened to his CD the next day, and became a huge fan.” - Jane Donahue


"Review"

“Chicago area artist Noah Gabriel has multiple albums to his credit and it's clear he revels in the studio. 'Peg-leg Killer Jonez" is eerie and elegaic, as the artist's brooding voice is accompanied by compelling sonic touches. 'Austin Bound' lightens the mood, a song with lots of rural feel thanks to crisply recorded mandolin, banjo and an echoplexed harmonica. 'Poor Flat Bastard' has folk/bluegrass undertones with attitude, and shows Gabriel's liking for vivid yet oblique lyrics. All in all, material is solid, treatment is inspired.”
Music Connection Magazine - Music Connection Magazine


"Quote"

"Noah's music is so authentic. It defies labels. He's a true artist."
Lisa Dent of US 99 - Lisa Dent of Chicago's US99


"Review"

“Every now and then an artist or group transcends themselves and makes a giant leap forward. The Beach Boys did it with Pet Sounds, U2 did it with The Joshua Tree, Green Day did it with American Idiot and Aurora native and still local artist Noah Gabriel just did it with his fifth album, "Ghosts of Tomorrow"...a virtually perfect combination of blues, alt country, roots, rock and, yes, even soul music.”
Jeff Ward - The Geneva Patch - Jeff Ward, Geneva Patch


"Noah Gabriel"

From the moment you hear those first few chords on Noah Gabriel’s In Aurora, your senses will tell you that here is something special. There is a spark here that pervades the music—a spark of heartfelt passion—a passion that grabs and pulls you along with it. Here is solid, intelligent music that we all can connect with—a music that transcends genres by speaking from the heart of the artist to the hearts of his listeners.

Noah Gabriel, a young singer/songwriter/musician from Illinois, shows a musical sophistication beyond his years, weaving rock, blues, jazz and country into a mix of songs that will permeate your senses. These are real songs, born of personal feelings and experiences, which come to life not only in the lyrics, but the music itself. From the catchy lyrics and cutting guitar licks to the insightful, heart-wrenching ballads and soulful blues, these songs on this cd cut a wide swath from life’s joys and sorrows and serves them up to the listener. This cd will be one you will find yourself playing over and over. No matter what type of music you are into, no matter what your age, there is music here that will speak to you.

“I write songs about feelings I have experienced, things I care deeply about,” says Noah, “these are the things that others identify with in the songs; because, I think everyone can relate to the essence of these feelings.”

Currently playing in clubs throughout the Chicago-area, Noah exudes a quiet charisma that is both accessible and infectious. Whether in an acoustical setting or with his band, Noah is able to draw the audience into the world of his music with the warmth of his voice, a masterful songwriting talent and a wonderful guitar style. The world of Noah Gabriel’s music is a real world, based in the hearts of us all—a world you should feel at home in.
- Belniak Media Inc.


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

For show DATES and CALENDAR, please visit www.thenoahsarcade.com.

_____Noah's Arcade, as introduced by The Kevin Trudo_____

"Noah's Arcade is Noah Gabriel, Chad Watson and Justin O'Connell. Individually each of these boys has been playing with everyone for years. They've cut their teeth on blues, rock, Americana, jazz...all that. They've done the driving and the work and got to know the hum of tires on blacktop and the endless ribbon of road that unwinds behind you with just as much unfolding ahead; learned to love gas station dinners and the drink tickets at the venues. You hear it in the way they play and that's just as individuals, just in pieces.

Justin's precise. He's put together and on the beat and hardworking and funny as hell. I mean, you do the job, but you do your homework. If you're gonna do it, do it right. That's Justin. That's not even enough: you don't just do it right, you do it right 8 times, then you got it. And he's brilliant, it ain't all study - he's got ideas for weeks: but first you know it then you play. He's friendly, honest, laid-back, and he's always on it. He's got this.

Chad takes chances. He's done his homework and now he's gonna experiment. The stage is his lab. Sure, he can lay it all out straight, but why?  No one's worried he's not on time and can't do the job, noone. Hell, everyone calls him. Everyone. It's like "What? You need a bass? Chad." Then he sings and you're under the chair. He kills it. You'd take him home, now, but then he gets out a harp, seals the deal. Wicked.And Noah? He's out front and he stole everything good from every guitarist you like...blues? Rock? Hendrix? Punk? It's there. He boils the whole thing down into something that's only him and he's on fire. He's clawing his guitar with his fingers and then this voice comes out of him. Howling, growling or angelic. You get chills. You're moved. And you're moved because he can write a song, man. I mean he writes five a week, it's like he's building a wall against the world with these words...and they're good. Damn, you're not supposed to write two incredible tunes a week, but he does it.So individually they're fireworks. I mean formidable. But at some point they ended up on the stage together. Why not? They knew the same folks, split shows, it's bound to happen. So there they are on a stage and the whole room shuts up. Staring. They're playing some tune they didn't rehearse and they know most of the changes and they kill. It works. Somebody says "You gotta do that again" and it's nods all around.

Let's do it.

Together it's just power. It's even bigger than the players. There's these amazing songs and they're all behind them and they know the parts but it's somehow bigger than that...It's huge and beautiful and terrifying. You stare to see what happens next and one minute Justin's just killing you with some giant beat you're banging out on your leg and the next it's Chad with some break he steals in on and you're wondering who thinks like that? Then Noah's wringing every bit of love out of every note. You nod with it, then nod into it. The sounds. It's half roots, half rock, and the other half is something else all their own. You sit back, let it wash over you, order a Porter or a rye - something real with some weight. This is the Arcade.This is their first time recording together. Dig it."

 




Band Members