Mike Genovese

By Alex Weber

Singer-songwriter and Ohio University alumnus Mike Genovese will bring his uniquely dynamic, digitally infused acoustic rock to the Blue Gator this Saturday night.

Genovese, who graduated in 2003 and is currently headquartered in Columbus, cut his teeth at the Front Room’s open mic nights as a college freshman and sophomore. These days, he headlines shows at Cleveland’s House of Blues.

In fact, the House of Blues show, which took place last Friday, was his first ever headlining appearance. Not bad for somebody who, like many of OU’s on-campus guitar strummers, used to be referred to as “the Dave Matthews kid who played around the dorms”.

Interestingly, one of Genovese’s very first Athens shows away from the residence halls and Baker Center was at the Blue Gator – or what was to become the Blue Gator. As a junior, he opened for the-locals Red Wanting Blue after landing the gig through a friend and a demo he had put together.

“That show was the defining moment that put everything in motion,” Genovese says.

He continued to gig around town at places including Casa and BW-3. When he graduated and took up traveling the Midwest, he secured opening slots for such well-known and like-minded national acts as Jack Johnson, Broken Social Scene and G.Love and Special Sauce. He credits his success to a three-pronged approach to self promotion.

“First, you have to get yourself out there and most importantly create credibility,” says Genovese. “You have to find people to take a leap of faith on you.”

Red Wanting Blue took the first leap of faith on the songwriter, and he networked upward from there, approaching bigger groups that RWB had opened for in the past, hounding agents and bands, bringing him to his second success strategy.

“Persistence – even to the point of annoyance” is key to getting shows, because “the opener is not the first priority,” Genovese says. “And finally, you have to be able to accept rejection.”

But rejection is a word that isn’t looming large in Genovese’s musical world at the moment. He is opening for all of prolific acoustic-guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds’ Ohio shows, including Saturday’s show at the Blue Gator here in Athens. Reynolds is one of Genovese’s heroes and biggest inspirations.

“When I first saw him live with a trio in Cleveland, I was dumbfounded by what he was able to do with a guitar,” Genovese says. “Playing with Tim is pretty amazing.”

Genovese has his own talent in spades. He’s amazed audiences across Ohio, Michigan, Virginia and West Virginia, among other places, with his distinctive on-stage employment of looping pedals, which record and replay sounds to replicate the sound of a full band.

“There’s definitely an experimental, electronic element in taking basic wood and string and tying it in with digital components,” Genovese says. That’s what sets him apart in an already over-saturated singer-songwriter market.

Genovese, who also counts Gavin DeGraw, John Mayer (“before everyone knew who he was, circa 2000!”) and Howie Day among his influences, has been expanding and experimenting, trying for the sound of “white boys with Motown vocals.”

Genovese is excited about his triumphant return Athens. “It’s like a drug, being able to play for friends and feeding off the crowd reaction,” he says.

His Saturday night opening set at the Blue Gator starts on the upstairs stage at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10.

========================
- The Athens Insider: February 23, 2006

by Chris DeVille/Staff Writer
christopher.deville@ohiou.edu

Less than two months from graduation, Mike Genovese is at a crossroads. The Ohio University senior soon will have to decide between pursuing his burgeoning musical career and accepting a job offer from NASA.

"It's kind of up in the air right now. I'm really just taking it day by day and seeing how this Spring Quarter goes in terms of shows," Genovese said. "If I'm going to do this, I want to do it right."

Genovese, a singer-songwriter who plays acoustic guitar, has done it right so far this year, opening for regional stars Ekoostik Hookah, Oval Opus, Red Wanting Blue and almost snagged an opening spot at Counting Crows' April 11 Athens performance. He also has had a number of upcoming headlining performances, including one at 9 p.m. Saturday at Buffalo Wild Wings, 21 W. Union St.

Buffalo Wild Wings employee Nick Longauer booked Genovese for this week's performance.

"I think if he were to go to it, it would take some time, but if you look at the crowds he draws here with little exposure, he could do it," Longauer said.

Although he is a one-man show, Genovese uses technology to his advantage. He runs his guitar through equipment that can record what he plays and repeats it in an infinite loop. Beginning with a few chords or tapping on the side of his guitar, he adds layers until the full-band sound fills the room.

"That's the main thing about my shows," he said. "It makes the show more unique. It's not just somebody singing and playing the guitar - it's more like a musical performance. It definitely makes the show more dynamic."

Genovese said his musical prospects have brightened since he completed an album. He recorded the CD, which might be released under the name 'Losing Track of Time', with the help of his friend, Grant Cambridge.

Cambridge, an OU senior music and audio production major, had a summer internship at Backstage Studios in Covington, Ky., and another during Winter Break at Sound Images in Cincinnati.

"They were more than willing to give me some free time whenever there weren't any clients around to work on my own projects," he said.

The recording took place in two weekend sessions, and Cambridge used his extra studio time to do post-production work.

"We got thousands of dollars of recording time for free," Genovese said. "Having that CD opened a lot of doors. That's what started it all."

A triple major in finance, business law and management information systems, Genovese would like to accept the NASA job and play music. But, working for a top government agency and being a touring musician would present an impossible time conflict, and he refuses to pursue a music career without his full attention.

"There's nothing that Iove experienced that beats playing in front of people," he said. "For someone to pay me to do that is sick, you know? That's the ultimate. But I don't want to be the guy you go see down at the pub every week. If I'm going to do it, I'm not going to do it half-assed. I'm an all-out kind of guy."

=================== - The Post: Thursday, April 24, 2003

Story | Cary Smith

http://www.columbusmag.com/section-beyond270-article.php?id=863

Even though the saxophone was his first instrument, the allure and potential of the guitar grabbed Mike Genovese at an early age. So much so that he risked a potential sibling scrap to wrap his fingers around his first fret board and jam out on occasion.

“I used to wait until my stepbrother was gone so I could get my hands on his guitar,” admits Genovese. “It was kind of this forbidden thing that I wasn’t supposed to touch, but I couldn’t help myself.”

Genovese, a local singer songwriter, plays an upbeat blend of Motown lyrics. His distinct vocal style flirts with fellow solo artists Tim Reynolds and David Grey. A self-taught musician, he honed his craft playing open mic nights in Athens while going to Ohio University, eventually working his way up to playing clubs. Armed with one guitar and a looping pedal, Genovese makes it sound like a whole band is behind him.

“I think the looping is something that really makes me a little different than most solo artists out there,” says Genovese. “The crowd can see me tapping on my guitar and setting up the loops up there. It’s something that I got into after seeing how well it worked for other artists.”

Even though he hasn’t been on stage for a long time, Genovese has shared the stage with headlining acts like Lifehouse, Tim Reynolds and Jack Johnson. All he had to do was ask, literally, to get the gigs. “I’ve kind of worked my way up the ladder to get to open for these national acts,” says Genovese. “I really would just ask one act if I could open and then word would spread.”

For more information on Mike Genovese go to www.mgenovese.com

Date ran: February 2009
- The Columbus Magazine

BY TROY GREGORINO

TAKING IN A MIKE GENOVESE PERFORMANCE IS A FULL, MULTI-FACETED EXPERIENCE. MUSICALLY, HE SOUNDS LIKE A THREE OR FOUR-PIECE BAND, COMPLETE WITH VOCAL HARMONIES. IT’S A SOUND GENOVESE PULLS OFF BY WAY OF A TECHNIQUE CALLED LOOPING, WHICH INVOLVES STOMPING ON VARIUOS PEDALS TO WEAVE PARTS (PLAYED SECONDS EARLIER) BACK INTO THE SONG AS LAYERS OVER ADDITIONAL PARTS (PLAYED IN “REAL TIME”).

IT’S A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THE RARE SKILLS OF PRECISION TIMING AND COORDINATION, ATTRIBUTES GENOVESE SEEMS TO HAVE PERFECTED.

“A BIG PART OF THE SHOW IS THE USE OF THESE PEDALS AND SORT OF CREATING THE SOUND OF A BAND VIA LOOPING,” HE SAID. “IT’S ALMOST AS MUCH OF A SKILL, USING THOSE PEDALS, AS PLAYING THE GUITAR ITSELF. THE TIMING HAS TO BE PERFECT.”

GENOVESE SAID HE FIRST GOT THE IDEA TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE TECHNIQUE NOW SYNONYMOUS WITH HIS SHOWS AFTER WATCHING GUITAR LEGEND TIM REYNOLDS AT A CONCERT IN CLEVELAND A FEW YEARS AGO.

“I WAS UTTERLY AMAZED,” HE SAID. “ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY CONCEIVE OF COMING OUT OF A GUITAR, HE WAS DOING IT.”

DESPITE THE ATTENTION INEVITABLY DIRECTED AT THE SPECTACLE THAT IS GENOVESE’S MASTERY OF PEDALS, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO HIS MUSIC THAN GIMMICKS. MIKE GENOVESE, A SENIOR AT OHIO UNIVERSITY, HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN IMPORTANT SONGWRITER AND MUSICIAN IN THE ATHENS SCENE. SORT OF IN THE VEIN OF DAVE MATTHEWS OR JOHN MAYER, GENOVESE’S VOICE AND GUITAR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE AN ORIGINAL FRESHNESS AND CLARITY ABOUT THEM.

“I’D LIKE TO SAY THE SONGS ARE MOVING,” HE SAID. “I REALLY TRY TO WRITE STUFF THAT’S REALLY MEANINGFUL. I WANT TO STRIKE A CERTAIN FEELING IN PEOPLE LISTENING TO IT, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT I NEED IN ORDER TO WRITE IT. THERE IS NOTHING THAT I LOVE MORE THAN WRITING AND PLAYING MUSIC.”

THAT’S A LIFE GOAL THAT WAS RECENTLY TESTED WHEN GENOVESE RECEIVED A JOB OFFER TO WORK FOR NASA AS A CONTRACT SPECIALIST. GENOVESE, WHO STUDIES FINANCE, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS AS WELL AS BUSINESS LAW, SAID THE TIME AND TRAVEL DEMANDS OF THE JOB WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SUFFICIENTLY DEVOTE HIMSELF TO MUSIC. AFTER CONSIDERABLE DELIBERATION, GENOVESE SAID, HE PLANS TO ACCEPT THE JOB BUT REFUSES TO LOSE SIGHT OF HIS MUSICAL ASPIRATIONS.

“WITH MUSIC, I WANTED TO GO ALL OUT, PLAYING AT LEAST FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK, WHICH REALLY WOULDN’T GIVE ME TIME TO WORK,” HE SAID. “I’M TRYING TO ESTABLISH MY NAME MORE AROUND THE CLEVELAND AREA, WHERE I’M FROM, AND AT COLLEGES AROUND THE STATE.”

JUGGLING A CAREER WITH HIS PASSION FOR MUSIC, GENOVESE SAID, WILL INVOLVE PERSEVERANCE AND HOPE, CONCEPTS ADDRESSED IN THE SONG “DREAMS” (FROM GENOVESE’S UPCOMING “LOSING TRACK OF TIME”).

“WITHOUT DREAMS AND GOALS IN OUR LIVES, WHAT THE HELL’S OUR PURPOSE,”
HE SAID. “YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE DREAMS TO STEER YOU IN LIFE.”

I RECENTLY PREVIEWED “LOSING TRACK OF TIME,” SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE SOMETIME IN THE COMING MONTHS.

TRACK AFTER TRACK IS LOADED WITH GENOVESE’S TRADEMARK OPTIMISM AND SENTIMENTALITY. EACH SONG IS FILLED OUT NICELY WITH SOME REMARKABLE MUSICIANSHIP. FOR BEING SO STRUCTURALLY COMPLEX, GENOVESE’S MUSIC IS ALSO CHARACTERIZED BY A CERTAIN LIGHTNESS AND THOUGHFULNESS. HIS ARE THE KIND OF SONGS SUITABLE FOR A LONG DRIVE BACK TO A LOST LOVE.

AMONG THE ALBUM’S HIGHLIGHTS IS “STRANGER,” A SONG GENOVESE SAID IS “ABOUT MAKING SOMETHING OF MYSELF AND HOW I HAVE SORT OF A FEAR OF DEATH AND FADING AWAY.

“I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AFTER MY TIME FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE,” HE SAID.

TO SEE GENOVESE WHILE HE IS STILL WITH US IN ATHENS, CHECK HIM OUT MAY 18 AT THE FRONT ROOM’S ACOUSTIC JUKE FESTIVAL, MAY 22 (WITH OVAL OPUS) AT THE BLUE GATOR AND MAY 31 AT BW3’S.

GENOVESE SAID HIS WEBSITE, WWW.MGENOVESE.COM, IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

======================= - THE ATHENS INSIDER, WEEK OF MAY 12, 2003

Author| Alisa Caton

Musicians and bands often spring up in Athens during the years students attend Ohio University, but some are able to continue success after graduation. OU alumni Mike Genovese and Danny Johnson are each working to carve out an individual niche in the music industry.

After graduating from Ohio University in 2003, Mike Genovese took a job at NASA, but three years later he returned to his college love of music.

Genovese now lives in Columbus and works for Battelle Memorial Institute, a non-profit applied science and development company, but continues to regularly perform as an acoustic solo artist. He has played with musicians including Matt Wertz, Mat Kearny, and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers.

While at OU, Genovese studied finance, management information systems and business pre-law. After his graduation, Genovese took a job offer with NASA and worked there for three years as a contracting specialist.

"These jobs are good resume builders, but my passion is music," Genovese said.

Even before his years at OU, guitarist Mike Genovese had an interest in music.

"I've always had the buzz to perform and write music," said Genovese, who taught himself guitar when he was in high school.

His freshman year at OU, Genovese usually played at the old Front Room. The band Red Wanting Blue let Genovese perform with the band at different clubs and venues.

"They kind of took me under their wing," Genovese said.

This past February, Genovese performed at seven sold-out shows while touring the Midwest as an opening act for Corey Smith. They played venues ranging from 500 to 1400 people.

Genovese will finish his first album this summer. Most of the recording was done in Nashville, Tenn., but Genovese plans to have concerts in Columbus and Cleveland promoting the release.

"I'm sticking my head out there and trying to make a career out of music. I'm finally at the point where I have a product and a CD," Genovese said.

http://thepost.ohiou.edu/Main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=28000 - The Post - Ohio University Newspaper - 4/23/09

By Matthew Toledo - 4/10/2003

Technology, current trends in music taste, increased technical ability in today's crop of musicians--whatever the reason, solo artists these days don't have to sound like solo artists at all. Using delay pedals, samples and keyboards several local artists have picked up on the DIY trend and extended it. Folks like Tony Xenos, Rob Powell, and now OU senior Mike Genovese have all discovered how to ditch the band concept completely.

Mike has been making a quiet splash recently by opening for a few of Athens largest drawing bands with his dynamic solo set. It's easy to see why he's an attractive opener for bands like Red Wanting Blue who have a reputation for being picky about their opening acts--they don't have one if they can avoid it. All Mike needs is a three by three foot spot on the stage and the headliner can set up all their gear behind him. Besides the mere convenience, Mike's also really darn good. Some songs are traditional acoustic rock, but on others, he layers live samples of himself singing and playing the guitar. These samples are taken on the spot as he plays and are not pre-recorded loops. The end effect is a whole chorus of Mike Genovesi, drum beats, solo and rhythm guitars. It's mesmerizing to watch and listen to. Since he's doing all of this live and on the fly he also avoids the criticism of musicians who hate other musicians that play to a tape or drum machine. I had the pleasure to interview Mike and ask him about his sound, his gear, and future music plans.

AMN: Hello Mike. You're currently a senior at OU. Have you been studying here your entire college career, or did you transfer in?

MIKE: I've been here since freshman year and it has gone by so quickly. I applied to 12 different colleges and didn't know that I was coming to OU until the deadline. After visiting the school, seeing the campus, and getting into the College of Business, I knew that I wanted to come here. Plus, both my older sister and brother went here.

AMN: You have a very unique acoustic guitar style. You're the only person on stage, however on some of your songs you use delay pedals in such a way that it sounds like there is a whole band behind you. You even manage to include a drum beat in your tunes without using drums. How did you first get the idea of using delay pedals to fatten your sound?

MIKE: About three years ago, I saw Tim Reynolds play solo in Cleveland and I saw him use this technique called looping. I think that Tim Reynolds is one of the best guitarists ever and is way ahead of his time, so it didn't really come to me to try it out. Then I heard of this musician named Howie Day and saw a live webcast and he had just started using the looping technique. I was so amazed with it I thought to myself, I want to do that. So I bought some different kinds of pedals for both my vocals and guitar signals. I really think that it is unique and not a lot of people know about it or implement it. I'm trying to run with the the new awe factor that people see something like this for the first time. I think that it's more entertaining for the audience rather than just listening to guitar and vocals. There are a ton of musicians out there that do just that, and I try to offer a little more. I like to describe it more as an act than a regular gig. It's cool to see a song develop right in front of you on stage and by adding more and more layers, and it's important that audiences know that the music is created live and these aren't pre-recorded loops. It's also more fun for me too; I love doing this and the fact that I get paid for it is awesome.

AMN: Most of the readers of the AMN are musicians themselves. We'd all love to know what sort of gear you use at your live performances. Be as technical as you want when describing your set-up, we can handle it.

MIKE: Hmm...let's see, I kind of want to be secretive about it because I don't want anyone to copy me...but, basically I have two different set-ups for both my vocals and guitar. On the guitar pedalboard, I have a line6 delay pedal that takes care of the looping and some delays, then I also have a Boss OC-2 octave pedal to get the bass lines. I'll slap out some drumbeats on the side of the guitar with some delay as well. I also use a Boss chromatic tuner. My main guitar is a Takamine EAN46C and I absolutely love it. For my vocals, I have another pedalboard that has another line6 delay modler for delay and looping. I use a Shure Beta 87A mic that goes directy into a small beringer mixer that gives me more control over the vocals in the EQ and boosts the signal as well. From there the signal that comes out is line and i can route that to different guitar effects pedals. Most notably is a Boss dd5 that provides me the opportunity to have on command delay on the vocals. I've got some more ideas up my sleve for the future, so be on the look out.

AMN: You've been opening up for some big regional names as of late. Bands like - Athens Musician Network

by Chris DeVille/Staff Writer
christopher.deville@ohiou.edu

Three years ago, singer-songwriter Mike Genovese was featured as Band of the Week in The Post. An Ohio University senior on the brink of graduation, he was faced with a decision: Go all out in pursuit of his dream of performing music full time, or hedge his bets and accept a job with NASA, chasing a music career on the side.

He chose the latter, setting up shop in his hometown of Cleveland and playing shows around the region while establishing himself financially with his day job. NASA eventually sent him to Southeast Virginia, where he spent a little more than a year before taking a new job in Columbus last November and returning to his old Ohio haunts.

"It was almost like I was out of sight, out of mind, just being away from the scene, not buzzing in terms of getting my name out there and playing shows for a year," Genovese said. "I've had to build that back up."

When Genovese opens for Tim Reynolds at 10 p.m. Saturday at The Blue Gator, 63 N. Court St., it will be his first Athens show in two years. The concert will also mark the end of a three-night stint playing with one of his major influences.

"It's almost surreal in a sense that I get to share the stage with one of my people that I look up to," Genovese said.

Like Reynolds, Genovese performs solo but makes use of looping equipment to create the sound of a full band, recording the loops live on stage and adding layers of sound as he goes.

Genovese's stage show is much the same as it was during his time in Athens, though he has a crop of new songs and has incorporated an electric guitar - "nothing over the top" - to diversify his sound. He also has begun to experiment with his vocals, inspired by singers such as Gavin DeGraw and Matt Wertz.

On the personal front, he just bought a house and got engaged to the woman he started dating his senior year at OU. He returned to Athens to pop the question, telling his girlfriend he had a show at Donkey Coffee.

"I proposed to her on the porch of the house that she lived in senior year, where we met," Genovese said.

Although buying a home and getting married are life changes that lend themselves to settling down, Genovese is preparing to take his shot at making a name for himself in the music business. He is starting work on a new record and setting up more and more shows - he played his first headlining gig at Cleveland's House of Blues last week.

"Sometimes I think about 'Should I have taken that leap and just tried music full time out of college and made that my job, just toured relentlessly and built up a name?' and all that," Genovese said. "I think this year is going to be a good sort of sign on what's to come musically for me."

======================== - The Post: Thursday, March 24, 2006

by Chris DeVille/Staff Writer
christopher.deville@ohiou.edu

Three years ago, singer-songwriter Mike Genovese was featured as Band of the Week in The Post. An Ohio University senior on the brink of graduation, he was faced with a decision: Go all out in pursuit of his dream of performing music full time, or hedge his bets and accept a job with NASA, chasing a music career on the side.

He chose the latter, setting up shop in his hometown of Cleveland and playing shows around the region while establishing himself financially with his day job. NASA eventually sent him to Southeast Virginia, where he spent a little more than a year before taking a new job in Columbus last November and returning to his old Ohio haunts.

"It was almost like I was out of sight, out of mind, just being away from the scene, not buzzing in terms of getting my name out there and playing shows for a year," Genovese said. "I've had to build that back up."

When Genovese opens for Tim Reynolds at 10 p.m. Saturday at The Blue Gator, 63 N. Court St., it will be his first Athens show in two years. The concert will also mark the end of a three-night stint playing with one of his major influences.

"It's almost surreal in a sense that I get to share the stage with one of my people that I look up to," Genovese said.

Like Reynolds, Genovese performs solo but makes use of looping equipment to create the sound of a full band, recording the loops live on stage and adding layers of sound as he goes.

Genovese's stage show is much the same as it was during his time in Athens, though he has a crop of new songs and has incorporated an electric guitar - "nothing over the top" - to diversify his sound. He also has begun to experiment with his vocals, inspired by singers such as Gavin DeGraw and Matt Wertz.

On the personal front, he just bought a house and got engaged to the woman he started dating his senior year at OU. He returned to Athens to pop the question, telling his girlfriend he had a show at Donkey Coffee.

"I proposed to her on the porch of the house that she lived in senior year, where we met," Genovese said.

Although buying a home and getting married are life changes that lend themselves to settling down, Genovese is preparing to take his shot at making a name for himself in the music business. He is starting work on a new record and setting up more and more shows - he played his first headlining gig at Cleveland's House of Blues last week.

"Sometimes I think about 'Should I have taken that leap and just tried music full time out of college and made that my job, just toured relentlessly and built up a name?' and all that," Genovese said. "I think this year is going to be a good sort of sign on what's to come musically for me."

======================== - The Post: Thursday, March 24, 2006

Friday, April 04, 2008

John Benson
Special to the Plain Dealer

Acoustic liftoff: After spending the past few years opening for a slew of national acts, including Tim Reynolds, Jack Johnson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Collective Soul, Broken Social Scene and more, Cleveland native singer-guitarist-songwriter Mike Genovese has high hopes for the release of his debut, "So the Story Goes," in spring. "Over the years, I've been trying to set up the dominoes and create credibility for myself for the release of this album," said Genovese, a 1999 St. Ignatius High School graduate. "So I've been trying to secure these opening slots with bigger local and even national acts, and just trying to play off the credibility of being associated with them." The Columbus resident is excited about new songs "Let Me Be," which is the album single and features a David Gray-meets-Coldplay sound, and the loop-heavy "So the Story Goes." Genovese is scheduled to open for Virginia Coalition at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights. Tickets are $10. Call 216-321-5588.



========================> - The Plain Dealer

Friday, April 04, 2008

John Benson
Special to the Plain Dealer

Acoustic liftoff: After spending the past few years opening for a slew of national acts, including Tim Reynolds, Jack Johnson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Collective Soul, Broken Social Scene and more, Cleveland native singer-guitarist-songwriter Mike Genovese has high hopes for the release of his debut, "So the Story Goes," in spring. "Over the years, I've been trying to set up the dominoes and create credibility for myself for the release of this album," said Genovese, a 1999 St. Ignatius High School graduate. "So I've been trying to secure these opening slots with bigger local and even national acts, and just trying to play off the credibility of being associated with them." The Columbus resident is excited about new songs "Let Me Be," which is the album single and features a David Gray-meets-Coldplay sound, and the loop-heavy "So the Story Goes." Genovese is scheduled to open for Virginia Coalition at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights. Tickets are $10. Call 216-321-5588.



========================> - The Plain Dealer