Leave it to six big "Star Wars" fans to name their band The Force.
Well, to be fair, the group's name was originally A Force to be Reckoned With, according to lead singer Vic Foresta, but it was abbreviated to its current name soon after members got together three years ago.
"We're all pretty much real nerdy dudes, but we like to rock," said Foresta, a Swampscott native who now lives in Lynn.
Foresta said the band plays "really aggressive, in-your-face, funky rock." Most songs are originals, but it also performs some covers, like Faith No More's "Be Aggressive," Parliament Funkadelic's "Red Hot Mama," INXS' "Need you Tonight" and Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Under Foot."
The Force often plays in Boston, New York and around New England but returns to its stomping grounds, Dodge Street Bar and Grill in Salem, often.
Dodge will be the scene for a Halloween Bash, headlined by The Force, tomorrow night. The concert and costume party, which begins at 9:30 p.m., will open with two bands, Graveyard BBQ and Planetoid. The cover charge is $5.
Graveyard BBQ, out of Waltham, plays heavy metal-style Southern rock — "AC/DC meets Lynyrd Skynyrd," Foresta said.
Planetoid's origins are more suspect: "They came here from another planet, in the 1970s," Foresta said. Planetoid plays '70s rock 'n' roll.
Besides Foresta, The Force includes Jeff Barberie of Salem on keyboard, "Skill" of Swampscott on guitar, Phil Weinstein of Salem on horns and percussion, Paulie Ryan of Brighton on drums, and Dougie Douglas of Boxford on bass. Most grew up in Swampscott or Nahant, according to Foresta, who started writing many of the band's songs with "Skill" in 2003.
The band's debut CD, "Technology is Pain," is available at Newbury Comics.
"None of us went to music school," Foresta said. "We're all real big music fans who ... play fast, in-your-face and nonstop."
Tomorrow night's show will be a costume party, and all of the bands are expected to dress up, too. But don't expect members of The Force to appear as "Star Wars" characters — that's been done.
"We're all going to be killer clowns this year," Foresta said.
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Staff writer Larry Claflin Jr. writes his "Music Notes" column regularly. Reach him at 978-338-2681 or lclaflin@salem news.com.
