Local band Orange Vanessa wins MTV-U’s popular vote

MTV-U’s “Best Music on Campus” Web site is currently featuring GCSU’s very own Orange Vanessa as the most popular band. The band has been on the Web site for almost a month now and in that short time has achieved the honor of calling themselves the most popular band. In fact, they have been the most popular band on the site ever since the third day of having an account.

Everything seems to be falling in to place at a rapid pace, considering that Orange Vanessa has been around for less than a year.

“Orange Vanessa went from being a side project to (being) the band . there was a point when I think we all just realized, ‘woah, we’re really good,’ ” Bob Titolo, guitarist, said.

Titolo says that soon after realizing this, the band began to put more effort into their work. In addition to Titolo, the band has two other members: Alex Barnes (drums; didgeridoo) and Rachel Kahn (vocals; possible rhythm guitar). Titolo says that occasionally he performs vocals as well.

Last fall, Orange Vanessa was asked to perform at the grand opening of Sandella’s on West Campus, which served as their first public appearance. Since their first performance, the young band has performed three more times, twice in Milledgeville, and their most recent performance was at Vinyl in Atlanta.

Orange Vanessa is classified as a combination of a jazz, rock and alternative band; they describe themselves as “what happens when you put a classic rock guitarist, metal drummer and jazz vocalist together.” They claim to have “created something . new and unique.”

Fan and sophomore Early Childhood Education major Kelly Waldron backs this up by claiming to love Orange Vanessa for their “individual sound and variety in songs.”

Titolo explains how the name was created for the band.
“We were walking to Saga and we stopped to ask a random girl what her name and favorite color were. That’s all; I don’t even remember what she looked like,” Titolo said.

Titolo claims that Orange Vanessa is not yet on the verge of becoming famous but does not have a doubt that they one day will. He says that the band is, “too smart, has too many connections and wants it too bad not to.”

According to Titolo, the best part about the developing recognition is the “random compliments and overall increased interest in Vanessa’s doings.”

He tells us that their MySpace fans come from at least five different states and two countries (United States of America and Canada).

Orange Vanessa has only a demo out right now but will soon be creating and recording their first album entitled “Stuck,” which will be available through both CDs and iTunes. In the mean time, their demo can be obtained with the purchase of a ticket to any of their gigs.

In the next five years Titolo says he sees Orange Vanessa touring. Josh Beck, a freshman Education major, has high hopes for the band’s future as well.

“I hope to see Orange Vanessa on the TV playing shows around the world,” he said.

In the upcoming months, there will be many opportunities to hear Orange Vanessa in person. They will be participating in the upcoming Battle of the Bands, Milledgeville’s Relay for Life in March and will also be performing at the Velvet Elvis in downtown Milledgeville on April 21.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 20 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry