The Benderz plan to get the party started

Raynor Denitzio

As far as their name goes, the Benderz’ Patrick Stoner said,”If you could sum up the scene of your show in a word, that’s what we try to do.” He added, “That’s the connotation; you’re going on a bender, along kind of a party binge.”

Villanovans can see the Benderz, made up of lead singer Joe Bachman, Stoner, Stevie Keys, Brian, Mike, Steve Turner and Danny Gunz, this Saturday at Novafest.

The Benderz bill themselves as the ultimate party band, and with Jagermeister as a sponser, it’s hard to argue with this title.

Many Villanova students might recognize them from Brownies, one of their favorite venues in the area, as well as Bootleggers and Finnegan’s Wake.

This recognition has even escaped the Main Line.

“We’ve had people that have gone to Villanova come up to us when we play at Sloppy Joe’s (in Key West) and said, ‘I go to Villanova, I saw you at Brownies,'” Stoner, who plays guitar, sax and contributes vocals, said.

Formed by lead singer Bachman about three years ago, the band, as Stoner describes it, began playing “lots of shows and lots of travels for low pay and oftentimes no pay.”

Throughout this, their love of music has kept them going.

A hard-working band, the Benderz plays about 250 shows a year. On any given day, you can find this group at any number of clubs in the Philadelphia and southern New Jersey area.

It’s hard to pin the Benderz down to any one sound or style.

They play a diverse mix of music. Stoner describes their sound as “energy, party rock, anything that really gets a party started. Anything from Tool to Neal Diamond. We run the gamut of different artists and songs, if it rocks and it gets people to party.”

Among the songs covered by the band are such classics as Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night” by K.I.S.S., as well as some of their own work, such as “Jaeger Song,” a nod to their sponsor.

The band even covers softer hits such as U2’s “With or Without You” and Elvis’s “Suspicious Minds.”

“[As a cover band] you try to take the good ideas from everyone else and create the show that works for you best,” Stoner said.

Judging by their popularity in the area and among Villanova students, whatever ideas Benderz has found from other artists, theyseems to be working.