Super Hero Junkies have Houma covered

Local cover band fans may have found their latest weapon in the struggle against second-rate acts: The Super Hero Junkies.

The New Orleans-based group has played a bevy of shows at high profile venues including the House of Blues, the SouthShore Tavern and Howling Wolf. They were also selected for five monthly gigs at the Bourbon Street Blues Club. They’ll be returning to the Downtown Balcony Bar in Houma on Jan. 16 to play the first in a series of local shows that will extend through July.

Like most super heroes, everyone in the band has a day job. When it comes time to play a show, however, band members take on the persona of their favorite super hero. The band includes Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Wolverine and Punisher, but don’t expect to see them rocking out in full costumes.

“They’re more likely to have a T-shirt with their super heroes’ logo on it or something, and then play as that character,” band manager Pedro Valladares said, although that hasn’t stopped fans from showing up to shows in full regalia.

Super Hero Junkies’ aficionados can expect to hear a wide array of music, from today’s top 40 hits to classic rock.

“We don’t just stay in one genre. We go from one end to the other and back,” said Valladares. “We’ll play Journey, Carrie Underwood, The Eagles, Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Maroon 5 – everything.”

Valladares put the band together. He was inspired by his father’s love of music. The group’s name came from his 8-year-old nephew Patrick, who suggested a super hero-theme. From there, Valladares set out with an idea and a mission: a cover band made of super heroes.

“I wanted to create a concept band that can target every age bracket from young to old,” he said. “No matter what age you are, you’re going to be intrigued by the super hero concept.”

The band came together with six members that encompass a variety of musical backgrounds and talents. Several members studied classical music at the Andrew Jackson School of Music, and others are music industry vets with a decade of experience or more.

Rebecca “Wonder Woman” Rosiere, who Valladares calls “85 percent of the attraction,” fronts the band. Dave “Wolverine” Gonzalez is the band’s lead male vocalist, who also plays keyboards guitars and drums. Phillip “Spiderman” Valenti, with 17 years of experience, holds down the bass lines. Anthony “Superman” Graff, rhythm guitar, Scott “The Punisher” Elstrott, second lead guitar, and drummer Darel “The Dark Knight” Poche round out the cast of heroes.

“We’ve got a special group of guys here where all the band members sing. They’re all switch hitters and play a variety of instruments,” said Valladares.

Although the band is full of talented musicians, Valladares says it is character that holds this cast of characters together.

“They are all great musicians, but for character, they’re at an A-plus level,” he said. “That’s the first thing I looked for when creating this band. That’s what keeps a band together.”

The band has coalesced quickly to become one of the regions leading cover bands.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve played all the top venues out there in less than a year,” said Valladares. “It’s a dream come true for everybody.”

Although fans shouldn’t expect to hear a total rewrite of a song, they shouldn’t go in expecting to hear the CD played by a live band either.

“We put a little flair in our cover songs. We don’t just play it like the song itself. We put a little style to the cover. They’re very high energy,” said the band manager. “When you hear them on stage, you’ll know it’s the Super Hero Junkies’ style of doing it.”

In the future, the band hopes to expand into the Lafayette, Baton Rouge and Hattiesburg markets.

“We’re definitely a new generation band that’s ready to hit the road and make things happen out there,” explained Valladares.

In the meantime, you can catch them playing around town, where they hope to break in to special events.

“We want to target that market with special events like festivals, because [the Junkies] do wonderful with children. We definitely want to taste test the aspect of the family side,” said Valladares.

“Houma is our second home,” he added. “It’s one of our favorite spots to play, and the crowds have been wonderful in Houma.”