Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly energetically performed for an eager audience as they took the stage with their band, The Alternate Routes, at Acoustic Café in Bridgeport last Friday night.
“We play at lots of venues all around, but we always love to come back here because this is where we got our start.,” Warren told The Mirror.
There was excitement in the air as a crowd that would make any fire marshal nervous waited for the show to begin. The opening acts were good, but the overflow crowd came with one purpose: to experience the rock- and jazz-influenced music of The Alternate Routes.
“I loved how they enjoyed playing,” Nicole Krupa ’07 said. “They really seemed to have fun, which reciprocated onto the audience.”
Throughout the first set Donnelly and Warren joked with the crowd as they switched guitars back and forth and played Fairfield favorite “The Money’s Gone.” The second half of the set added a fun element, with Dr. David Schmidt, an ethics professor, joining them on stage and rocking out with the band.
“The best part of the show was when Professor Schmitty got up there and was jamming along with the song ‘Constellation Prize,'” Bobby Cintolo ’07 said. “They keep getting better every time I see them. I cannot wait for what they do next.”
The Alternate Routes formed when Eric Donnelly ’01 and Tim Warren ’03 met during their time at Fairfield. Since then they’ve enjoyed success opening for acts such as Howie Day and The Lost Trailers. They have also headlined a lot of intimate venues along the East coast from Boston to Washington DC.
“I saw them during orientation and was impressed by their music,” Mike Davis ’08 commented. “As a guitarist, I can say that their lead guitar player is incredible and they are all around a very good band. They were tight, their songs were well-written, and their show was a pleasure to be at.”
As for last week’s concert, it seems that everyone had a good time at the Acoustic Cafe.
“My favorite part was when Tim had everyone singing the drinking song’s chorus. You could feel the energy in the crowd.” said Megan Kiefer ’07, who has seen them three times. “They get better every time I see them.”
To sample their music check out their Web site,
www.thealternateroutes.com, or look them up on iTunes where their latest album, “Over Your Shoulder,” is for sale.
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