Reviews and Press about
Review by Anna of CaBands.com
Article from "The Daily Republic."
Review by Brandon of CaBands.com
Article from "The Vacaville Reporter."
An excerpt from Cori of LoCal MuSac
By the time Judge Unger took the stage, it was somewhere around
midnight and much of the crowd had dispersed. I was a little
disappointed as this was the headlining band, and I felt that not enough
people were around to appreciate them. So for those who left early,
here's a little of what you missed. This 4 piece is a mature band that
produces a fuller sound by incorporating the use of a 12 string bass and
a 7-string guitar. This was the first time I've ever seen the use of
these instruments live. Bassist, Odie, uses his 12 string to reach a
wider range of notes, creating a distinct sound. I enjoyed watching him
play his cordless bass as he seemed quite content venturing into the
crowd ever so often. Singer, Star Cannon, had a very strong voice and
made great use of her lower register. She demonstrated great control
when switching between raspy vocals to softer moments. They opened with
"Memories Fade," which featured very nice guitar effects from Frank.
Frank's proficiency on guitar could easily be heard on songs like
"Emotions Running" and "Falling Faster." He uses many techniques from
the classic rock era that compliments the band very well. Rounding out
the band is Matt on drums. He adds to the band's tightness and energy
with solid rhythm changes. Another song, "Rain," is a slower song with a
gradual build in layering of instruments. This song had some great
dynamics. Probably my favorite song of their set though, was "Guy Like
You," which was played by request. This is one of Judge Unger's lighter
songs. Overall, they put on a pretty lengthy but solid set, finishing up
the night some time after one. I really would like to thank them for
inviting me to the show and being so interested in LoCal MuSac. Check
them out at www.judgeunger.com .
Solano College Newsletter
Phil McCaffrey
Here Comes The Judge.
By Phil McCaffrey
Judge Unger is not your typical rock group.
Named after a Solano County
Superior Court Judge, Cynda Unger, they combine
unusual instruments with
various musical backgrounds that give them the
sound of rock with a twist.
The rock scene, usually dominated by men at the
helm of lead vocals
is no more with Judge Unger.
The Kosmic Diva, Star Cannon, is in charge
with her dominating vocals. Adding to the mix
is 12 string bassist
Odell “Inspector 12” Robinson, Frank Garay
on lead guitar, and
rounding out the group on drums is Matt Evans,
also of the group “Milk the Sun.”
They attribute their sounds and influences to groups such as Rush,
Pink Floyd,
70's fusion music, Jeff Beck, Terry Bozzio,
and Stevie Nicks, to name a few.
Frank and Odell started together back in late 1999, writing
and playing some
music, fast forward to February 2001 when Star joined the group.
Since mid-2001,
Judge Unger has played all over Northern California,
including venues in San Francisco,
San Rafael, and Sacramento.
When asked about higher aspirations in the music industry,
Odell said “I am already
living a dream. I am playing in a band with
constant bookings and recording in a
professional studio (Sound Farm in Vacaville). I would love
for it to go all the way.
”And on the subject of recording, Judge Unger has a
scheduled summertime release
for their first album. “It’s all about just wanting to play,”
according to Robinson.
For you Solano County fans of Judge Unger, they make
their Solano County return on
March 20th at the Splitfire in Vacaville located on Orange Drive.
Showtime is at 8 p.m.
Also be sure to check out their website at
Sactown Music
Derek from Sactown Music
http://www.sactownmusic.com
Show 1: Judge Unger @ Shady
Brady's
12-Strings of pure adrenaline rushing POWER and a vocalist to match!
The Carvin stack powered guitar and hard hitting drums were of equal caliber.
This show screamed passion, power, and emotion. Songs like Rain are destined
to be heard by much more than northern California. I would say go download
their
music to hear what I am talking about, but it wont do this band justice. You have
to go see them live and experience this in the flesh. And add one more count to
Sacramento bands that know how to use a mic.
www.localmusac.com
Laura and Cori from LocalMusac
The following is a review of Judge Unger's appearance on KWOD(106.5) in Nov/2001.
The in-studio band of the night was Judge Unger. Judge Unger first played their
recorded version of “Rage On.” A female vocalist whose voice is dark yet pretty fronts this band.
The song could put one in a morose mood as it definitely was a song with a sad theme.
Judge Unger also played a song live in the studio “unplugged.” “Rain” begins with a nice
dissonant sounding intro and is followed by a melancholy feel but with pleasant sounding
vocals. The band preformed the song beautifully in the studio and the vocals were easy to
understand and made me feel as if I was sitting at my window watching and listening to the rain.
Both Cori and I were really impressed with Judge Unger.