Darling Parade, Starlight & Asphalt offer free concert

The bands Darling Parade and Starlight & Asphalt are coming to Harrisburg to preform at the Morello's Pizza and Grill Sept. 12.

Darling Parade's lead singer Kristin Kearns - Harrisburg native now living in Nashville, Tenn. - is glad to be able to swing back home during a national tour.

"We are an alternative rock band and are in the middle of a seven-week nation wide tour and we decided to make my hometown one of the stops on the tour," Kearns said. "We are touring with the band Trapt."

Kearns is a 2008 graduate from Harrisburg high school and her band is made of mostly of Southern Illinois natives, Dustin Lynch and Nathan Thurston, while their drummer, Casey Conrad, is from Memphis, Tenn.

Darling Parade has been touring for a few years and just released their first full length album this past year called "Battle Scars and Broken Hearts" available on iTunes. Their single "Ghost" and "Crash & Burn" have played on XM radio's "Top 20 on 20" station. Darling Parade was also MTV's "Artist to Watch" in November.

"I wanted us to make this stop to show our support for local musicians and raise awareness for the local music scene," Kearns said. "The first time we played Morello's it was a big deal. We sold out. It was a big surprise for me!"

Kearns band has a web site, www.darlingparade.com.

Appearing with Darling Parade is a new band founded by another Harrisburg native and graduate with Kearns in the same class from high school, Asphalt & Starlight. Founded some two to three months ago and based in Chicago, this band was the brain child of Harrisburg native Derek Boykes. Boykes describes his band as folk rock and is joined by band members: Nathan Vallotti on lead guitar, Nicole Skylar on piano and back up vocals and Ryan Birket on drums. Asphalt & Starlight has had several appearances in the Chicago area, playing at the "Cubby Bear" last weekend.

Both bands will be appearing at Morellos 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. This is a free show with no cover charge and is a show for all ages of listeners. For more information, contact Darling Parade's web site or Morello's.