The Opera: The Hottest New So Cal Band to Surf the Scene

By: Lori K. McLean

“You want to be on the cover of a magazine – Open your eyes ‘cause your living in a fantasy…”

The Opera: (Left to Right) Pablo Gomez, Jose Corominas, Andrew Hernandez and Miguel Quintero, Jr. Photo: Greta Jawel

It’s seems like every young man strapped with a strat dreams of rock n’ roll superstardom these days – a chance to make a quick million in cash, with a supermodel on his arm and a camera in his face, all while doing as little work as humanely possible to get there. The opposite is true of OC-based band The Opera, who is billed as a “progressive” and “experimental” modern rock group that claims Nirvana and Muse as major influences.

Comprised of members Jose Corominas (Lead Vox, Guitar & Keyboards), Miguel Quintero, Jr. (Backup Vox & Guitar), Pablo Gomez (Backup Vox & Bass) and Andrew Hernandez (Drums), the quartet is quickly building a reputation as one of the hardest working bands on the So Cal scene, catching fire onstage at coveted venues such as Beauty Bar, House of Blues – Anaheim, The Viper Room, The Key Club in Hollywood and the Revolution Lounge in Las Vegas.

LISTEN TO THE OPERA’S “LET ME LEAVE” HERE

The Opera has been around for over four years now, continuously evolving while searching for a unique sound to call their own. Originally from Las Vegas, the band made an abrupt move to Huntington Beach in 2009, hoping to break new ground and establish a fresh following in the City of Angels.

The Opera Live at House of Blues in Anaheim Photo: Zerograin

Their live performances, when electric, are just that – this band commits fully to their high-energy, amped-up stage presentation with just the right hint of infectious and playful attitude that invites their audiences to jump around and dance along.

Their acoustic sets are just as solid, proving that their material can hold its own when unplugged – a refreshing quality that’s often lacking in the current music scene. And luckily, it appears that the band’s commitment to their craft is starting to pay off.

After just two years of fine tuning, the foursome have received radio play on 102.3 KIIS FM in Los Angeles, along with Las Vegas’ X107.5 and Irvine’s 88.9 KUCI FM and have appeared in both a music inspired fashion spread for DUB Magazine, as well as a new commercial spot for the Electro-Voice Live X series (and the images for their supporting internet campaign).

They recently inked a sponsorship with Shine Drums and have even started self-producing webisodes for their own documentary, Unsigned, which is currently available on YouTube. The kicker is that they’ve made all this happen without the assistance or support of a record label. Yet.

WATCH THE OPERA’S ELECTRO-VOICE COMMERCIAL BELOW

The band’s new EP, American Dreams, is ready to make its iTunes debut this spring, and it promises to introduce the group as a legit musical threat to today’s often overly-affected, highly saturated pop chart tracks. Produced by Marc Jordan (The Cult, Velvet Revolver), the record has a hard, guitar-driven sound, but is occasionally adorned with strikingly appropriate touches of piano flair, and at the same time coupled with catchy yet genuinely melodic choruses – meaning this new material will more than likely strike a chord with a wide audience.

So what happens next? What can you expect from four young and enormously driven musicians that are let loose on today’s charts with a van packed to the brim, a legit hunger and a vision? Are there plans for world domination in the making? It’s safe to say that no one knows for sure, but with a self-arranged tour in the works, and a new music video on the way, we’re sure to hear more from these guys in the near future.

GI plans to keep you informed on this fresh new band as they continue to claw their way into the mainstream. The harmonic horizon appears promising for The Opera, and they just might prove to be one of the next American Dreams…realized.