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DoDriver

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Hometown	Lancaster, NY
Genres	Rock, Hard Rock
Band Members	Jody Velletta - vocals; Mike Trabucco - guitar; Mark ... » more
Achievements	» more
Upcoming Shows	None

Contact Information:	Artist / Band Member Jody Velletta dodriver@verizon.net 716-923-3208
# Years Experience Performing Live:	18
# Live Perfomances Past Six-months:	12
Market Draw:	Buffalo/suburbs: 251-300
Venue History:	Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - Darien Center, NY Club Infinity - Williamsville, NY Benchwarmers - Buffalo, NY Club Paradise - Blasdell, NY WKBW channel 7 ABC - Buffalo, NY WBNY 91.3 fm - Buffalo, NY Hard Rock Cafe/ Tower City - Cleveland, OH
Opener Experience:	Soul Asylum; KISS; Emerson Hart of Tonic; I, Mother Earth; Staind; Oleander; Moist; Teenage Head; The Tea Party; Smash Mouth
Similar Artists:	Black Sabbath; 3rd Eye Blind; Fuel; Foo Fighters
Performing Rights Society:	BMI
Discography:	Life Changes Everything LP—2010; DoDriver LP—2008; Neon LP—1999; Man EP—1995; Sinus EP—1993

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About the Artist

DoDriver’s music is rooted in rock with a definite riff-oriented style. They have shared the stage with I Mother Earth, The Tea Party, Moist, Teenage Head, Staind, Oleander, Econoline Crush and Soul Asylum.
On Friday, August 13th 2010 DoDriver had the...

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Music

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Achievements

Reached 28th in Best of Rock chart in 2019. In the top 100 for 2 weeks.

Reached 31st in Best of Rock chart in 2019. In the top 100 for 13 weeks.

Top 10 in Rock, December 2018

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Press Coverage

review of CD by buffalo.com/ Brian Campbell
DoDriver - Self Titled By: Brian Campbell DoDriver Self Titled http://www.myspace.com/dodriver Buffalo has some good rock bands, and for anyone who knows this scene that’s not really that big of a secret. There’s a lot of punk bands and emo bands, a lot of metal bands, but not enough heads up rock bands. Well, there is always DoDriver. These guys have a nice early to mid-90’s type straight ahead rock mentality, blended with a bit of today’s style rock as well. This record is definitely anchored by its best song, Watch Me. That is not to say the record fades or falters after it, but this is clearly the most refined track of the bands arsenal. DoDriver’s sound seems to be groomed for the majors, if they were to get that break. They have such an energy and charisma about their music, which comes across in the guitar work. The guitars can cruise through chugging verses, and then explode into big, over-the-top riffing at any time (listen to On Our Way and you’ll understand). That is the mark of a good band, or at least one who knows what they are doing. Coming Alive is a personal favorite from the album, but it was close call for me. I really like Watch Me because it has the flare of something Mark Tremonti and Alterbridge would pen, but the track Ed really has me thinking Crossfade, which is almost never a bad thing. Hands down though, the best guitars of the outing can be found on Foul & Frothy (a song written about skunky beer?) Think Alterbridge’s Rise Today and you can picture the sound of this song. Vocalist Jody Velletta may look like Scott Stapp, but don’t let that fool you. He isn’t out there getting arrested, tanking his career, ruining the name of Christian rock and hanging out with Kid Rock making sex tapes. He has some serious chops and the boy can blow. He owns the skill to rip off a towering hook when need be, which, thankfully for all of us listening, is often. Their sound has nineties rock written all over it, but it is still refreshing in nature. With time, it will be hard for DoDriver to remain one of Buffalo’s better kept musical secrets. Rocks like: - Audioslave - Audioslave - Crossfade – Crossfade - Alterbridge - Blackbird

Metrowny.com review by Joe Piracci by jpiracci@metrowny.com
DoDriver Takes Rhino's By Storm ------- In the cruel and heartless world of the recording industry, talent is no longer a determining factor in the decision to sign a band or artist. Nowadays it is more than ever about image and marketability and about whom you know, not what you know that determines whether or not you get a shot at a record deal. But this cold reality has not dampened the spirit of Buffalo’s own DoDriver in its quest for national recognition and career success. “We wouldn’t still be doing this if we didn’t have something to go for,” said Jody Velletta, lead singer for the group. DoDriver is a hard rock band in the vein of Stone Temple Pilots, Collective Soul and the 90’s alternative scene. DoDriver consists of Velletta on lead vocals, Mike Trabucco and Doug Smith on guitars, Joe Martucci on bass and Mark Conlon on drums. This band has accomplished something that most bands struggle to do, develop their own sound that separates them from the bands that have influenced them. But just because they have found their own unique sound does not mean every song sounds the same. “We try not to be the same all the time so most of our songs vary in style” said Trabucco. “We are not afraid to change. Not every song has to be the same.” Their show this past weekend at Rhino’s in Orchard Park was a rare sight to be seen for most local bands, a packed venue with enthusiastic fans that were not afraid to make some noise and get into the music. “We found something that people like and they keep coming back,” said Velletta. The group does not play out that often and that keeps the band fresh and the fans interested. “You get guys who play six times a month and eventually people stop showing up because they know they can see them the next week,” Velletta said. “I can’t play in bars till 3am four times a week, it’s not what I wanted to do,” said Martucci. DoDriver has decided to take a different approach in acquiring national acclaim. Instead of playing out six times a week in bars and clubs to reach their audience they are using the Internet almost exclusively to promote themselves and sell their music. “If you can sell it online it is as good if not better than driving to Cleveland to play in front of 10 people,” Velletta said. “We are gonna play once in a while and if we get a tour or open for a national act great, but I don’t want to spend my weekends in bars,” said Martucci. While most people in the business will tell you that you have to play out and be seen as much as possible to garner major label attention and that the Internet alone is not enough to be successful, DoDriver has done quite well for itself. Their single “Dozer” finished at number seven out of 7,000 songs on Garage Band.com “We can reach thousands of people in minutes online,” said Velletta. But just because they don’t play out often doesn’t mean they don’t play big shows. “We played in Puerto Rico for two weeks back in ’95,” said Trabucco. “Everything you ever saw on (VH1’s) Behind the Music, that was it. It was the rock star dream and we were living it,” said Velletta. With their rocking riffs, catchy melodies and knack for song writing, DoDriver has the talent to be on a major label. Their single “Foul ‘n Frothy” is as good as anything you have heard on the radio in their particular genre. But, as I said before, talent is just not enough these days and the fact that most of the band is in their mid thirties means time maybe running out on DoDriver. In the end though being in a band is about more than just fame and fortune. It is about friendships gained and having fun. “I think what is very special about this particular group is the bond that got formed really quickly.” said Conlon, who started playing drums at age 14 in a band with his mother. “I was expecting rock ‘n roll. I wasn’t expecting to gain four brothers out of this thing.” What does the future hold for DoDriver? “We have a few people looking to help us out, so knock on wood that everything works out. And, we hope to have our fifth album done by the end of the year,” said Velletta. To listen to more of DoDrivers music and learn more about the band please visit the follow links. DoDriver on Myspace

Article from Lake Effect Times.com by
Home Buffalo band DoDriver to open for KISS at Darien Lake EntertainmentLake Erie Photo courtesy of DoDriver WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA. -- Continuing its ongoing support of aspiring artists, Guitar Center (www.guitarcenter.com), the world’s largest musical instrument retailer, along with rock and roll icons KISS (www.KISSonline.com), announced on Aug. 9, 2010 that Buffalo’s own DoDriver (www.dodriver.com) will open for KISS at its Darien Lake Performing Arts Center show in Buffalo on August 13th. After sifting through thousands of entries, DoDriver was hand-picked by KISS and Guitar Center as the Buffalo winner of revolutionary music program Guitar Center On-Stage, a competition that provides twenty-two unsigned bands and artists from across the country the career-altering opportunity to perform at a show on KISS’ North American tour, The Hottest Show on Earth. At the conclusion of the tour, KISS will choose the best of the twenty-two bands to receive the grand prize that includes a $10,000 Guitar Center shopping spree. From AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi all the way to Tom Petty and John Cougar Mellencamp, we have a history and legacy of giving great bands the opportunity to see if they have what it takes to scale the heights to worldwide acclaim. Why shouldn’t the next great band come from this nationwide competition?” said KISS. “By teaming up with Guitar Center, we’re going to show our fans some seriously talented rock bands that could never get an opportunity like this. This is the chance to show the world just what you’re made of and see if you can make The Hottest Show on Earth just a little bit hotter.” DoDriver’s music is rooted in rock with a definite riff-oriented style. Mix in a few pop elements and you get great commercial appeal. The band has been together for three years under the name DoDriver but the members have been playing some of the same music together under different names since the early 90s. With that much time comes a great live show and that is where this band shines the brightest. DoDriver is a five-piece that knows how to get a crowd excited and keep them that way until the end. The band released the album "Life Changes Everything" in early 2010 and is playing shows to promote it throughout the northeast.

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