Riviera was founded in the thriving Chicago music scene in 2000. Through personnel changes and musical shifts, the band has created a sound that is grounded in American folk and rock with electronic overtones and feedback.
Singer/Songwriter Derek Phillips formed the band in an attempt to bring together the elements of American music that had grabbed his mind over the years. His lyrics paint colors rather than shapes in your mind and leave you with feelings that creep up on you days later.
Bassist/Guitarist Matt Usner has been with the band since the beginning and brings folk sensibilities and quiet anchoring. His bass playing introduces new melodies to the songs and creates an undercurrent of tension where things just seem to get comfortable.
Mick Radichel also writes songs with a decidedly southern flair, though he hails from Milwaukee. A wide variety of playing styles from Keith Richards to Smokey Hormel to Jim O'Rourke provide the bones to the songs.
Drummer Joshua Rogers lends the foundation with solid rhythm and unexpected flair. Whether it's a straight backbeat or a flurry of sound, the band can always come back to the center relying on Rogers' direction.
Newest member Josh Boisvert comes to the band with his own repertoire of solo material that is reminiscent of the lonesome troubadour. His piano and organ playing and harmonizing vocals round out the sound that the band has been developing for three years.
It's been a long road to this point and the band has characters along the way who one way or another make up the cast in their songs. Chicago has known about Riviera for a while, now it's your turn.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.riviera-sound.com
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