My Denton Music spotlight: PVC Street Gang

by Josh Hogan of My Denton Music

You just can't help but smile when you are around Chris McGaha and Chris Vivion of the PVC Street Gang. These are two dudes who really get it. They love what they are doing, and they really love the attention their band has received in the past few months, especially considering their debut EP has not even been released yet.

"Our goal is to have it out by the end of summer," Vivion proclaims with a glance over to his smirking counterpart. "We have been playing shows, trying to raise the money to get it out. And it is there now...the money IS there now right?" As McGaha's smirk expands to a full fledged laugh he responds in between chuckles, "We'll see, when putting out a record you never really know, but we should be okay."

Despite the somewhat uncertain financial situation of the band, the two Denton locals seem less than concerned. And for good reason you could guess. While they are still looking for a solid fan base in their home town, the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth have been mighty kind to the relatively young band. With shows at The Cavern on Greenville, and a write-up in the Dallas Observer, the PVC Street Gang is starting to build up a solid reputation as a hard-rocking and hard-working group.

The band's live show is a sight to behold. While Vivion, a normally laid-back individual seemingly flips a switch in his head to become a rowdy rock and roll personality on stage, McGaha, the lead singer, simply turns his dial up a bit. His switch has apparently been stuck in the "ON" position for a while. "For me, a live show is pretty much an amplified version of how I live every day life."

Despite their different styles and energy levels, the two are on the same page when it comes to the band. They are totally and wholeheartedly committed to the success of the PVC Street Gang, and the best part is to see how much fun they seem to be having while accomplishing their goals.

Their sound diverges from that of most bands in the area. The music is dark, funky, and a bit creepy at times. But boy, you just can't turn it off once it is on. "A lot of these songs were written on a four track at two in the morning, drunk in a garage somewhere," McGaha admits. A sentence which only strengthens the argument that these guys are having a great time doing what they love.

Once their self-titled EP is finally released, we should see the next step in growth for the band. It is tough to speculate as to exactly how far this band will go. They are not the sexiest group in the world, but their attractive personas are more than enough to carry these guys a long way. And McGaha is not afraid to dream big. "I want Axl Rose money," he says with a snicker, "but will I get it, who knows? I mean who knows if I even really want that...mo money mo problems right? HaHa."

Sooner or later, Denton is going to fully embrace this band. I mean, it just has to happen. They are too much fun to be ignored. This Friday's show at Hailey's should help out with that. Opening for RTB2 and The Cocky Americans should bring out a big crowd and expose the Denton audience to the PVC Street Gang.