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Cyrus reunites, headlines VexFest 5

By Katie Libecco


YOUNGSTOWN — Cyrus is back.

Well, except for Chin. The guys say he’ll make it back before the show.

VexFest V

  • When: Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
  • Where: Federal Plaza, Federal Plaza, Youngstown
  • Cost: Free
  • Age limit: All ages

Full event details

They met together Wednesday for a radio interview with Viking Jim on 93.3-FM, then went across the street to the Youngstown Sports Grille to meet with me and drink. Well, mostly drink.

Donny came in from Las Vegas, Frankie from Los Angeles, Bubba from St. Augustine, Fla., to meet Bobby and Bill in Youngstown to headline VexFest 5 Sunday.

But the story is just a little more complicated.

You see, the band formed in 1999 (members of Sift, at the time) to form Cyrus. They played and toured until 2001. That’s when Bubba says he pitched this whole “VexFest” concept to the guys who run it now.

At the time of the first VexFest, they say Youngstown was more like Seattle.

Donny says, “The people wanted a scene, so they made a scene.”

They say they believe this will be the biggest VexFest yet. They say they’re pleased that VexFest had to turn away bands this year, noting the first year they had to ask bands to play. They’re happy, they say, that VexFest is “worth something now.”

“Seven years ago, people never thought it’d fly,” Bubba said.

Shortly after that first VexFest, Cyrus “died off.” They say they “fizzled,” and no, they don’t remember their last show.

In the time since, fans kept e-mailing, asking for a reunion, Frankie said. Cyrus responded. Bubba says VexFest is perfect “because it’s kinda [their] show.”

And Sunday will be it. They’re not making a comeback; this is a one-time deal with all of the original members onstage together.

Bill said since it’s the original members who wrote the songs, the songs are “embedded” in their heads.

Not that they haven’t been making music otherwise. Frankie is working on a solo album; so is Bill. Donny is playing with Random Eye in Vegas.

They say this as Brett Favre looks down from ESPN-HD, and they’re heading out to the parking lot to listen to Viking Jim call them one of the heaviest rock bands Youngstown's had.

Come back? Favre say’s he’ll play his best. Come back? Cyrus tells Viking Jim that they’ll see how Sunday goes.

Via Sahara

  • When: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
  • Where: The Cellar, 162 S. Bridge St., Struthers
  • Cost: $10 - $15
  • Age limit: All ages

Full event details

They’re excited to play shows again with Via Sahara, Tilt 360, Kitchen Knife Conspiracy, Asleep — who were on the scene when they were playing Youngstown. Well, Asleep was Alias X, but they’re still pumped to see them at VexFest. They deserve respect, they say.

“They all do,” Frankie said.

Bill said, too, “There’s lots of bands at VexFest I’ve never heard of before.”

Cyrus hasn’t had a practice yet, so they say they’re not sure what they’ll play at VexFest. Or, for how long, for that matter.

But they’re not worried.

“No one else can vibe like we do,” Donny said. “It’s just the way we read each other.”

And with the members telling stories of playing together at age 11, yeah, they might’ve found a way to communicate onstage that surpasses other bands.

Bill said, so far, response has been pretty good about their reunion set.

“It’s cool that our music affects people,” Donny said.

What they say will make this performance “great” is the fact that it’s actually a reunion — it’s really all of the original members...presuming Chin makes it in from Alabama.

SEE ALSO:Requests to play nearly doubled for VexFest 5


Comments

By jobforasonofabitch ( anonymous )

are you serious? the heaviest band?? cyrus is far from being the heaviest band youngstown has! i cant even believed i checked this shit out

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By snakeblizzkin ( anonymous )

I love that Cyrus is doing a reunion! They really are a great heavy band and a great group of guys that show Youngstown is a great place for music! Kudos 2 all @ valley 24 for all u do 4 the music scene! I think jobforasonofabitch is just a little jelly!

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By bLOCKc ( anonymous )

Fizzled out!!!! thats funny!! the only thing that fizzled out was the great 21st century management. boy is there so much to say. if people only knew and the "boys" could remember. it seems like it was yesterday. good luck to all of you. your G.B.N.F...............

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Man, are these guys still trying to "make it" as musicians? At least they're getting some training on microphones. It'll help them with their next job. "Check one. Check one. May I take your order? Of course I can hold the pickles. Would you like fries with that? Thank you drive through".

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

hahaha! I think snake nailed it fellas. fuck all these assbag haters on here. all these jerkoffs are just pissed because thei bands will never make it out of their mommy's garage. who else in this town has played live on mtv at age 20? or toured with godsmack, 311, stp, mudvayne, and countless others? or maybe they are just pissed that their girlfriends were fucking you guys in your million dollar bus at vexfest. OR... perhaps they can't stand the fact that you cats still get more love after 5 years than any of them ever will. you guys brought the A game to vex, and killed that shit. best of luck in all you do. thanks for a hell of a show.

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By DrGoldbloom ( anonymous )

I do believe that Gene Simmons had said it best when he was a guest on "Turn Ben Stien On". He did state that just about all of the new bands suck,have no talent and waste all of their money on heroin or coke.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Yeah, I really envy bands that headline festivals in Youngstown. For free. Way to set the world on fire guys! But to be fair, I've never seen them play, or heard them for that matter. (I don't watch MTV, or go see shitty bands like the ones mentioned above). But I'm sure regailing french fry girls with Al Bundy-esque tales of their youthful endeavors to get laid will compensate for being such failures. I really wouldn't care so much if I didn't waste my time plowing through that low-rent promotional article. What's to promote? Wasn't the cover charge a grand total of $0.00? The hallmark of failure for a band is having to promote a free show.

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By bobservo ( Bob Mackey )

THREE TOUCHDOWNS IN A SINGLE GAME

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

the cover was free dickstain. the beer, booze, and merch was not. what was your band doing last weekend? oh yeah, that's right....sitting around reading articles about cyrus. keep grinding it out asshole, it'll get you real far.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

ummm cyrus isn't a "new band". you must be 16 and fail to realize that those guys have been doing their thing since 2000. how does that classify them as new?

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Shit, I never knew Billy Ray was from Youngstown and was reuniting the boys for a free gig downtown. That's pretty noble, even though I hate country music. Wonder if he's still rockin that bad ass mullet. I'd definately throw it in Hannah anyway. All of yall's can lick my balls, lick my balls, lick my balls! But... don't tell my heart!

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By north_side_girl ( anonymous )

i was glad to see that cyrus was still such a class act, that they were selling their merch out of A BABY COFFIN

i used to see them back when they were sift at the anchors aweigh and aluzios, back when i was 16 and dumb. being in a korn cover band contest on mtv eight years ago really did wonders for their career. i only watched because i was having secret rendeveauz (sp?) with the drummers brother at the time. i think he became a crackhead.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

What was I doing last weekend? Something called work. You know, where you get the fucking job done, like a man, then you get PAID for it! But you pussies wouldn't know anything about that. You're to busy putting on make-up and prancing around like little bitches.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

actually they all have "jobs" that I'd be willing to bet pay more than yours. bobby has a masters degree in the medical field. frankie has a record deal and is living large in LA.. donny is in retaurant management in Las Vegas. Bubba is somewhere in Florida doing well. Chin did 4 years in the Army and just got out.....so for you to pass judgement on those guys is fucking bullshit. they played a show because their friends and fans (8000+) wanted to see it. its not their fault that you have mommy/daddy isues. do you even play an instrument, or have a band of your own? my guess is not. even if you did, I'm sure you're too chicken shit to reveal who you are. till next time....

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By DrGoldbloom ( anonymous )

Who knows? In 20 years,they might be as popular as the Hern Brothers,or Graphic Pink.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Spare me the bullshit. If they were any good, or had an ounce of dignity, they wouldn't be doing dorky interviews like this. Let your music speak for itself. "Play from your fucking heart." -Bill Hicks

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

OH MY GOD!!!! ITS THE WORLD RENOWNED BILL HICKS!!!! HOLY SHIT, SIR, IT'S AN HONOR TO FINALLY MEET YOU. THE INTERVIEW WASN'T THE BAND'S IDEA, DOUCHEBAG. THEY WERE SITTING AT A BAR DRINKING, AND KATIE CALLED TO SEE IF THEY WANTED TO DO A LITTLE PROMO SHIT FOR THE SHOW. WHY DOES EVERYONE IN THIS CITY GET SO FUCKING JEALOUS??? I BET IF IT WAS BILL HICKS GETTING INTERVIEWED...NOBODY WOULD HAVE STARTED A BUNCH OF SHIT ON VALLEY@$ OR ANY OTHER SITE FOR THAT MATTER.

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By DrGoo ( anonymous )

lol, bill hicks is actually world renowned. He's also dead...

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

When someone uses quotation marks, then types -Person's Name, it's a quote. Not the author's name, dumbass. And didn't I clear up the "jealousy" topic? Nobody envys your mediocre musical achivements. Winning Korn cover band contest is like passing a test on how to fail.

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By DrGoo ( anonymous )

Playing tough guy on valley 24 is like being the class president in a remedial school.

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By ACaldwell ( Andrew Caldwell )

Hey amusedoutsider. Just for future reference, if you use the caps lock key instead of holding shift, it gets the same desired effect, but it has the added benefit of being easier, and not resulting in "@$" instead of 24.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Man, I was joking. I'm glad they played one last show. Because now I can relax knowing "Cyrus" will never come to this city and shamelessly pollute the airwaves, poison the impressionable youth with the idea that, with enough time and patience, they too can become mediocre hacks, and waste the city's electricity all in one night. Bang-up job, assholes. Thanks for staying the fuck home next time.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

I know who Bill Hicks is. I was being sarcastic referring to him speaking to me from the grave. We all know that "max" rides the short bus, and probably can't play an instrument. He takes comfort in demeaning the accomplishments of others, whether it is Cyrus, or whoever else may have done a couple interviews to promote the show. My guess is that his "band" has been trying to get somewhere for years, but hasn't made it past open mic night. He's also wrong again. I am not a member of Cyrus, but I have been friends with those guys for years, and they are all hard working individuals. They never claimed to be anything special, or highly successful. They just enjoy playing music that a lot of people here....and elsewhere across the country, enjoy listening to. If you don't care for it, thats fine. Just shut your fucking mouth about it. Concentraet your efforts on something constructive....LIEK MAKING A RECORD OR PLAYING A SHOW. I personally would love to hear it....with an open mind, naturally.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

"No one else can vibe like we do" is synonymous with "I'm a pompous douchebag!" in my book.

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By DrGoo ( anonymous )

Ummm, someone did too much reading into a valley 24 story.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

Yeah no shit! Looking at teh context of the article, I'm pretty sure the only thing that was meant by the comment was "after playing together in different bands for 12 years, the guys know exactly what the others are going to do before they do it. Max has issues, its obvious.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

I know exactly what they are going to do before they do it too. Suck a ton of ass.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

By the way, thanks for writing "before they do it" in my psychological evaluation. Because I would've thought you meant "the guys know exactly what the others are going to do, after they do it." Fucktard.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

My favorite quote: "He takes comfort in demeaning the accomplishments of others, whether it is Cyrus, or whoever else may have done a couple interviews to promote the show." My perspective: "I find comedy in acknowledging the shortcomings of average people that stroke off each others egos in a last-ditch effort to avoid facing the fact that they are indeed failures."

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By north_side_girl ( anonymous )

everyone, um, i think youre all overlooking the big issue, which is how their merchandise was in a BABY COFFIN

i cant stress this enough

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By bobservo ( Bob Mackey )

time to check the local baby graveyard for that telltale mound of dirt

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By north_side_girl ( anonymous )

found it!

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment...

are any of those guys from memphis?

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

They got a tour bus to play one fucking show? 8/17- Youngstown, OH 8/18- Tour Bus Rental Lot Hell of a tour guys!

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

8/19- Where dreams go to die

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

you fucking retards are still here talking shit? very interesting. Do you think any of those guys care what the fuck you have to say? They were the only band to get paid, the only band that had their own merch table, and the only band who was flown across the country and BEGGED by the promoters (Dan Crump, Jon Jones, Fred Rafidi, and Tibolla) to do the fucking show. Yeah that just screams that they weren't wanted. Did you listen to the homegrown show the 4 weeks leading up to the show??? Who were they plugging? Oh yeah thats right....CYRUS. Failures? Not hardly. I would be willing to bet the bank that those guys have accompished more in music, and their personal lives than you have, or ever will. I mean come on, how do you have time to get anything done when you're logged onto valley24 24/7 babbling on and on with meaningless bullshit? You claim to be an adult....act like one. Grow up, get a job, and get over your daddy issues. Or better yet, tell us all what band you are in so we can all get a good laugh. Something tells me you wont offer that one up.

To the northsidegirl.... relax. its called a prop. Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak. Most of those guys have kids for christ sake.

one more note for the record.... the bus wasn't a "rental". It was provided to the band through a friend in the industry who heard of the reunion, and offered it to them for the weekend. And yes, dear max, there was plenty of ass that was had in the back lounge. I was there, you werent. I can't even believe I'm still acknowledging you. Just couldn't help but to make you look even more uninformed than you already have.

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By DrGoo ( anonymous )

Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.Nobody kills babies you crazy hannah montana loving freak.

lolololol

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By north_side_girl ( anonymous )

i dont love hannah montana. i just love her doggy style. cmon. im almost 30, for christs sake.

i went through my industrial phase, i have some questionable tattoos, i think there are even some skull related decor items in my house. but tiny coffins ... it wasnt even like a fake grown-up coffin, that one might get at say the halloween store, but a REAL one meant for actual dead babies and/or tiny adults. the fact that they would actually pay upwards of $300 for a real baby coffin (or the weirdness that they might just HAPPEN to have come upon a free baby coffin) just to put merch in smacks of desperation to hold on to some retarded image that is meant to be left behind, stuffed into one of the many pockets of the big pair of jnco jeans in your mind and forgotten.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )

ummmm, jnco jeans??? i don't recall seeing anyone there in a pair of those god awful things. if i recall correctly, (and looking at the pics i think i do), the guys wore jeans, shorts, and cargos. they weren't dressed any differently than any other band who played....aside from from Chin who started the show in a black robe. i don't know why you're all bent out of shape about what they wear, what they came to the show in (at least it wasn't a hearse), or a stupid insignificant stage prop. You guys are all overlooking the fact that there were 40+ bands who put on a great show, with no arrests, complications, etc. Instead you all continue in the typical Youngstown spirit of bashing others who did nothing to you. And you all wonder why that city is dead, with record #'s of people leaving every year??? Just an idea.

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By north_side_girl ( anonymous )

oh sweet jesus ... i mentioned jnco because those pants are from the era that cyrus is choosing to worship. they seem to enjoy 1999, judging from their sound and by the fact that they looked the same in 1999 as when i last saw them in person all the way up to vexfest. it was a simile, buddy. yeah, i got an english degree so i could make lame jokes about cyrus on the internet. jokes are funny. baby coffins are not. well, maybe the one that goes - Q: whats grosser than a dead baby nailed to a tree? A: pulling it off.

i WENT to vexfest. i HAD FUN THERE. ive gone to every vexfest. i LIVE in youngstown. maybe the city is dead because the bulk of the people still living here cant even recognize sarcasm or a joke unless dane cook is screaming it into their face, or unless they make a movie parody of it starring carmen electra and sean william scott.

and as far as what cyrus ever did to me, nothing i guess. oh, like ten years ago the old drummers crackhead brother left me stranded in mill creek park. thats about it.

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

I just keep posting to fuck with you, amusedoutsider. Now you go back to drinking a nice tall warm glass of Cyrus' piss, or whatever the hell it is you do.

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By amusedoutsider ( anonymous )
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

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By MaxPower ( anonymous )

Q: What's the difference between Cyrus and a pizza? A: A pizza can feed a family of four.

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By KLibecco ( Katie Libecco )

That's fine, have your opinions. We more than welcome them. Just don't be obscene in your comments (in FCC vocabulary) and we'll keep them posted. There's no need to offend mass audiences for you to say we don't like us. We get it in simple terms, we assure you.

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