Joe Michelini, frontman for native New Jersey indie folk rock band River City Extension, said no one in the band has ever taken money home from a tour.
It's to be expected from an eight-piece group of multi-instrumentalists, and the additional gas money and other expenses tacked on to the opportunity to bring their music to the masses.
But that hasn't stopped the band from playing memorable shows in Altoona before, and will be a small price to pay to bring a new album and a fresh perspective to local audiences when the band headlines a show at 5 p.m. Friday at The Masonic Hall in Altoona.
Openers include four Pennsylvania-based bands: Brethren, Swiss Alps, Flashback Forward and Jacob Patalive.
Michelini said this weekend's show will "definitely be different" than those see in Altoona before.
"I think we're a little bit more of a rock band than we've been in the past," he added.
"With that being said, I also think there is more dynamic to our show, and I'm excited about that."
Adding more dimensions to a band that already employs almost every instrument - including upright bass, cello and banjo - during live performances and in the studio seems like a big feat. But it's what the band has become known for, especially through the release of their sophomore record, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger," this past June.
"It wasn't really ever something we thought about because it just is," Michelini said about the number of people and instruments used in the band. "No one says, you know, 'Why are there so many people here?' It just is. It just is our band."
Michelini said he's glad the album has been received well, and doesn't know why it came out a bit differently from the band's 2010 debut, "The Unmistakable Man."
Lyrically stemming from a dark period in his life, Michelini said it wasn't hard to put his emotions and self-reflections out there.
But with the three closing tracks being the most personal for Michelini, he said he hasn't enjoyed reading ill-written reviews that assume the tracks were rushed because the album ends on a softer note.
"That's what you do when you put yourself out there and that's what happens when everyone has the ability to start a blog," he said. "But beyond that, it's kind of like our artistic duty to be there and to expose ourselves in that way."
Despite exposing their softer side, River City Extension is still a band that appeals to both indie and folk lovers and those more fond of punk or alternative rock.
"They're very diverse, and can appeal to a bunch of people," said Ryan Wapner, founder and promoter for AnEmergencyScene, which is sponsoring the show. "They're unique in the sense, too, that there is a ton of them and they have everything from standard rock band fare to horns and cello and a bunch of different auxiliary instruments."
Wapner said River City Extension has always drawn a decent crowd for shows in the past, and doesn't expect anything different on Friday.
"They're definitely one of my favorite bands we've gotten to do shows with because they're so unique and entertaining," he said. "They're definitely not your run-of-the-mill three- or four-piece band."
Michelini said River City Extension's music during a live show is usually produced differently than it can be heard in recordings. He added that the band is "very much themselves" and encourages the audience to do the same.
"I think people who come to our shows generally feel a sense of community," Michelini said. "We want to make people feel normal. In turn, we want to feel normal. We're all weirdos on the inside. So if you're a weirdo, you should come."
Mirror Staff Writer Beth Ann Downey is at 946-7520.
