Country-rockers Melodime, livetronica band Particle playing JJ's Bohemia

Melodime using proceeds of new album to buy musical instruments for kids

Country/rock band Melodime recently released new EP "roll-1," the first in a three-part EP series that will culminate in a full album set at the first of next year.
Country/rock band Melodime recently released new EP "roll-1," the first in a three-part EP series that will culminate in a full album set at the first of next year.

If you go

› What: Melodime› When: 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15› Admission: $10› What: Particle› When: 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16› Admission: $15› Where: JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. M.L. King Blvd.› For more information: 423-266-1400

While most bands form with dreams of fame, fortune and No. 1 hits, Melodime has a bigger goal in mind.

"We want to do something with our lives beyond the music to show people that you don't have to be famous to make an impact in this world," says Bradley Rhodes, who sings and plays guitar for the Washington, D.C.-based country-rock band along with brothers Sammy and Tayler Duis.

Melodime will play JJ's Bohemia on Monday, Oct. 15, the first of two back-to-back nights of shows by up-and-coming bands. Tuesday, Oct. 16, livetronica band Particle stops at JJ's on its tour in support of new album, "Accelerator."

Melodime's album "Where the Sinners & the Saints Collide" was fan-funded by a 30-day campaign with the slogan, "Make an album, change a life." The band is donating 100 percent of profits from album sales to a foundation they started called Now I Play Along, Too. The foundation provides musical instruments for orphans, victims of disasters and underprivileged kids.

In their own way, they are paying forward a kindness shown the Duis family.

"Sam and Tyler's great-grandfather grew up in a poor family with five brothers, with little money for food, let alone anything extra for entertainment. Then one day, an anonymous person came to the door, knocked, and when they answered, five instruments were left on the front porch. Each of the brothers picked an instrument and learned how to play, eventually improving to make quite a name for themselves as town musicians and were able to provide for their family," explains Rhodes.

Now, the legacy is carried on through the band, whose name is a mash-up of "melody" with "time" to signify memories in the form of sound. The guys are putting instruments into the hands of people who would've never been able to afford them.

That theme of coming together, regardless of differences, to do some good will be heard in tracks on "Where the Sinners & the Saints Collide."

photo Particle released "Accelerator" on Sept. 21. (JP Cutler Media contributed photo)

"The album carries strong themes of redemption and has songs about picking yourself up from your boot straps, using those past mistakes and failures to make yourself a better person to help people who may be lost and broken, so to speak," says Rhodes.

Just three weeks after Particle released "Accelerator," the band will play their new music in Chattanooga. Particle - which has been compared to electronic duo Daft Punk - was one of the pioneers of livetronica and built a reputation on wildly energetic jam shows. Music fans at the 2003 Bonnaroo may remember Particle's six-hour late-night set at the festival.

It's been 14 years since Particle released an album. During that time vocalist/keyboardist Steve Molitz played with several acts and scored more than a dozen soundtracks for video games. Among those: "Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn," "NBA Playground" and "World War Z."

In addition to Molitz, Particle includes Clay Parnell, bass; Kito Bovenschulte, drums; and Michael Daum, vocals, guitar and keys.

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