Since forming in 2007, the band's combination of danceable rock and soulful songwriting (and brilliantivity) has come to life through a meticulously-crafted and ever-evolving live performance. The band has been instrumental in the growth of New Orleans’ burgeoning indie rock scene, and they have achieved success and notoriety in the city’s competitive musical landscape.
The Revivalists have proven themselves as a live act. They have managed to advance from low-profile local gigs to extensive touring, developing a loyal fan base at home and across the Gulf Coast Region and gaining footholds nationally. Abroad, they have commanded such venues as The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), Sullivan Hall (New York City), Toad’s Place (New Haven, CT), and Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA). At home, The Revivalists are regulars at The Howlin’ Wolf, The Republic, and the legendary Tipitina’s. They have shared stages with such notable acts as Perpetual Groove, Marco Benevento, Rebirth Brass Band, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, The Lee Boys and Snarky Puppy. Additionally, they have established themselves as an engaging festival act, winning over audiences at French Quarter Fest, Crawfest and Foburg Festival in New Orleans, Hamstock Barbecue and Music Festival in Ridgeland, MS, and The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival in Washington, DC. Most recently, The Revivalists played the 2010 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. There, they caught the attention of Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke, who wrote about their performance on his blog on rollingstone.com.
The Revivalists have also grown as studio musicians. Their first release was listed as an editor’s pick in both the Jam and American Traditional Rock categories on CDBaby.com, despite being a humble five-song EP. Their second release, Vital Signs, is both the band’s first full-length album and a significant step forward in terms of production and scale. The young band was privileged to record under the guidance of Grammy Award-winning producer Chris Finney, whose resumé ranges from Dr. John to R.E.M. Vital Signs is the result of this collaboration. Soon after its release, Vital Signs became the top-selling album on CDBaby in the American Traditional Rock category, and was quickly selected to be featured in their newsletter.
Members:
George Gekas (bass)
Andrew Campanelli (drums)
Zack Feinberg (guitar)
David Shaw (vocals, guitar)
Ed “Steel” Williams (pedal steel guitar)
Rob Ingraham (saxophone, miscellaneous/other)
Masquerade
The Revivalists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With all the troops out on parade
Up till now we've saved
Every woulda, coulda, shoulda
That could've ever been made
Riding tall on a ten foot bicycle
Feeling small when I passed by city hall
I caught a glimpse of the night mayor dressed in black
With the memory of R.C.N speckled in trash
I made a mad-hatter dash for the Frenchman stash
I hope a couple grams will last
Because there's four lungs puffin' mama you can do the math
It's a masquerade
With all the troops out on parade
Up till now we've saved
Every woulda, coulda, shoulda
That could've ever been made
Look at us now
Riding on the rooftops letting it out
You could have the same
We could be as one
We could find a solution in the sun
Now I'm breathing into you
And I don't even know your name
If my breath's enough to save your life
Why won't it stop all these games?
Politicians playing with all of our minds
Wrecking all of our lives
They're like blind surgeons in the dark
Their blue pens are scalpels in disguise
It's a masquerade
Insecurity guard, there's a force at the border
That won't be let on
It's a masquerade
With all the troops out on parade
Up till now we've saved
Every woulda, coulda, shoulda
That could've ever been made
Look at us now
Riding on the rooftops letting it out
You could have the same
We could be as one
We could find a solution in the sun
I don't need to fall into all your lies
It's all I see for you and I
I'm in a dream I'm holding on
I'll be here you'll be gone
Hurry, hurry, hurry I need you now
In the dark we find the sound
Look at us now
Riding on the rooftops letting it out
You could have the same
We could be as one
We could find a solution in the sun
I don't need the games
The lyrics to The Revivalists' "Masquerade" describe a world that is superficial and full of masks, where appearances are everything and people hide behind façades. The singer is riding his bicycle through the city, feeling both small and powerful at the same time, as he contrasts the grandeur of the parade with the trash on the street. He catches a glimpse of the "night mayor" who is drinking from a flask, which suggests that even those in power cannot escape the need to escape reality. The singer seeks refuge in a stash of drugs, hoping that they will provide temporary relief from the harshness of the world.
The chorus repeats that the world is a masquerade, and that every mistake that could have been made has been made. The singer looks up to the rooftops, where he finds a sense of freedom and escape. He dreams of a world where people can be honest with each other and find solutions together, rather than hiding behind masks and playing games. He believes that his breath could be enough to save someone's life and wonders why it can't stop the political games that are being played. The song ends with the singer pleading with someone to hurry and join him in the darkness, where they can find the sound.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a masquerade
The situation is not what it appears to be
With all the troops out on parade
People are putting on a show to hide the real problems
Up till now we've saved
We have been avoiding dealing with our issues
Every woulda, coulda, shoulda
That could've ever been made
We have been holding onto excuses for not taking action
Look at us now
Riding on the rooftops letting it out
We are finally taking action and expressing ourselves
You could have the same
Everyone can join in and take action
We could be as one
We could find a solution in the sun
We can work together and find a positive outcome
Now I'm breathing into you
And I don't even know your name
If my breath's enough to save your life
Why won't it stop all these games?
We are connected as human beings, but we still play games and act dishonestly
Politicians playing with all of our minds
Wrecking all of our lives
Elected officials are manipulating us and causing harm
They're like blind surgeons in the dark
Their blue pens are scalpels in disguise
Politicians are making decisions without fully understanding the consequences
Insecurity guard, there's a force at the border
That won't be let on
There are outside forces that are being denied entry
I don't need to fall into all your lies
It's all I see for you and I
I'm in a dream I'm holding on
I'll be here you'll be gone
We don't have to believe in the illusions that others try to create, and we shouldn't cling to dreams that are not based in reality
Hurry, hurry, hurry I need you now
In the dark we find the sound
We need to take action quickly and trust our instincts to find a solution
I don't need the games
We don't need to play games or be dishonest with each other
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID WILLIAM SHAW, ZACHARY FEINBERG, GEORGE M. GEKAS, ROBERT INGRAHAM, ED WILLIAMS, ANDREW STEPHEN CAMPANELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Highly Heather
It’s the night mayor for me 😭 🤣 💜💚💛⚜️