StrateJacket at the Raccoon Motel -- July 20. (photo by Ashutosh Gupta/838 Media Group)
Saturday, July 20, 6 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Hailed by Blurred Culture for delivering "sound that’s as punchy as it is poignant" and "a mélange of energetic rhythms and memorable melodies," the indie rockers of StrateJacket headline a July 20 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the touring talents also praised by Cut it Out magazine as "a trio of talented, passionate musicians ready to take the world by storm."
Made up of Jackson Roemers (lead vocals/guitar), Fabian Angel (vocals/bass), and Nate Mangold (drums), StrateJacket formed in Sunnyvale, California, in 2019, and managed to play precisely one gig before COVID-19 swept the planet. The band used their time in isolation to hone their craft, and found their catchy, fast, and energetic sound by merging their individual influences of alternative/punk bands spanning across the '90s- '10s. Eventually, the musicians played some of their first StrateJacket shows with a guerilla approach to gigging, driving all over San Francisco to play under bridges, on beaches, and in warehouses. This earned them a devoted fanbase in the process, and caught the attention of EDGEOUT Records, who signed them in 2021.
StrateJacket recorded their debut album at Vancouver's Armory Studios in November of 2022 with the Juno/BMI-winning Canadian producer/songwriter Brian Howes (Hinder, Skillet, BoysLike Girls). They also secured the Grammy Award-winning Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Muse,Prince) to mix the record, and StrateJacket's debut single "Bad Start," released in September of 2023, was featured on EA NHL 2024‘s video game soundtrack. On May 10 of this year, StrateJacket released their self-titled EP, which is already noted for the group's singles/videos "Be My Drug" and "Bad Start." Reviewing a recent concert event, Highwaire Daze raved, "StrateJacket took the stage and proceeded to unleash an explosive barrage of super-infectious songs that absolutely soared into the stratosphere. Amongst the brilliant repertoire of tunes were the very recently released singles ‘Be My Drug’ and ‘Bad Start’ – both of which were absolutely captivating within a live setting.” In support of the new EP, the musicians have played festivals such as Welcome to Rockville and SXSW, and will open for The Offspring at the KIWR River Riot and play Aftershock in the fall.
The musicians of StrateJacket play their headlining engagement in Davenport on July 20, admission to the 6 p.m. concert is $19.84, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
