Gateway finds out what's new with Pomeroy from vocalist David Fairbanks

David Fairbanks provides vocals as well as percussion for Kansas City-based rock band Pomeroy. The band visited the Waiting Room for an Oct. 13 show with local act Old Boy Network. Their fifth album, A New Reflection, was released on Oct. 9. The Gateway talked with Fairbanks about the tour and the band's success and changes in their program.


Where did the name Pomeroy come from?

The name came from a street that we all lived on while in college at Kansas State University. Matt and I first started the band in late 1997, and I moved into a house on Pomeroy Street in early 1998 . It's also a name from our old town in Manhattan, Kan. and we really liked the street. It just kind of had a nice ring to it. That's where we ended up writing our first album and that's where we started practicing. It's where it all began.



Your fifth release, A New Reflection, dropped on Oct. 9. How is this album collectively different from the others?

This album is a much more focused effort at packaging all of that energy and all of those creative ideas into something a little more rock 'n' roll based. We always been that band that's been known for being the funky fusion/hip-hop type of stuff, which there is still some of that in there, but we've made this more rock focused.

We've never had the chance to get off the road and write. So the end result of taking time off is a much more complete thought and it's something that we're very proud of. We feel like this is some of our best work.



Is it safe to say that this is the new sound for Pomeroy?

I think it's safe to say that A New Revolution is our way of moving away from the straight fusion, combining funk and hip-hop together. There are lots of bands out there doing that right now. I think [the] natural progression of where we're taking things is more rock 'n' roll based. That's not to say that our next album won't change as well. We just don't know yet. With each album, we want to change a little bit. We wanted to move into a different direction with this one.



What's your personal favorite track off of the new album?

While keeping in mind that my favorite changes week to week, I'd have to say "Like a Saturday Night." It showcases a complete package of what I think Pomeroy is. It's that soulful, grooving funk in the verses and by the time you get to the chorus, its full-on rock where the guitars really hit you. We've got a good vocal arrangement and it has a really nice rhyme section. It's the absolute perfect song to describe what Pomeroy is.



Is there anything new on tour this time around?

Yes, actually there are a lot of special things going on. We have a brand new set, and we're playing a bunch of our new songs. We have a new stage plot. We're going to sound better than we ever have before and we're going to look better than we ever have before. We have a brand new tour bus and we're riding in style. I think we're going to be feeling like we're rock stars a bit. We've been playing almost 10 years, and it's about time we get to enjoy some of the fringe benefits.



What do you guys do to prepare for a show?

We like to keep it light. We usually watch a movie or play video games. Some sort of competition is vital. We've got five guys traveling around and we're usually always playing World Cup Soccer or Madden. We really try to have as much competition as we can.



This was your first time back in Omaha since August. Since then, the city has opened a few new music venues, like the Waiting Room. How do you feel about Saturday night's concert?

This is our first time playing at the Waiting Room, but Omaha is old hat to us. We've been playing Omaha consistently since 1999. The one thing that I always expect out of Omaha is that we have a great crowd ready to be entertained. Omaha has never let us down. It's really one of the best places in the world to place and has great music fans. The kids are always jumping out of their skin to get in the front row, to come and talk to us. They're some of the best fans we have anywhere. The Waiting Room is a classy establishment and there are lots of bigger bands playing there now. That's what I always expect: The great type of concert-going atmosphere that keeps us hungry for more.