Columbus based record company Break-Up! Records is holding a showcase tomorrow at Bernie’s. The show is a fall tradition for the label, and is a great opportunity for the public to get a look at some bands they may not have seen before.
This year, Dirt Bike Annie, The Heartdrops and Benjamin Cartel from New York will be joined by local group the Media Whores. The showcase isn’t just a local phenomenon; all the featured groups are on a Midwest tour of sorts, playing various out-of-state venues, in addition to shows in Ohio.
CEO of Break-Up! Records, Pat Dull, has been in the business for nearly six years.
“The first thing I put out was a 7-inch single by my band at the time, Pop Rocks! It was a split single, with my friend Jerry DeCicca on the flip side. It was sort of a joint effort,” Dull said.
DeCicca wasn’t into starting a label, so Dull continued on his own. Since then, Break-Up! has released 20 records, including full-length records from the Media Whores, Columbus’ the Marbles, and a compilation of singles and other things from Break-up artists, called “Break-Up! Records’ Guide to Entertaining.”
The label tends to stay local, but with bands such as The Heartdrops they branch out into national fields. The records get considerable distribution.
“I print up 500 of each seven-inch single, and 1000 of each CD. After sending many copies of each release to magazines for review and to distributors there aren’t usually a lot left over,” Dull said.
Break-Up! has also received a positive response abroad, something that is unusual for Ohio based rock ‘n’ roll.
“For some reason, Japan loves Break-Up! Records.” Dull joked.
Dull is not just a record pusher, he also is a member of the Media Whores, who began in 1998 and are an obvious choice for distribution by the label.
As with most smaller labels, all of the bands signed share the same type of sound. Chances are if you like one group on the label, you’ll like another, even if you haven’t heard them before.
“All the bands I put out on Break-Up! Records I would describe as ‘power pop,’ ” Dull said, “loud guitars and drums, punk energy, but with melody.”
The show will be loud, hard, fast and a great time for a Saturday night. Check out four great bands and leave the dance club for some other time. You can hear a DJ spin records you own anytime, good live music comes around far too seldom.