Welcome to the first installment of the Weekly Volcano's all-ages column, The Rockford Files! You read right, dear readers. After many years in the local music scene - on stage and in front of it, from Louie G's and Hell's Kitchen to Tacoma basements - I'm ready. I'm steppin' up my game and hitting the all-ages beat!

This is Rockford Rowley. At the tone, leave your name and message. I'll get back to you. [Beep]

Yes, the title is a play off of the old TV series. My editor Pappi Swarner came up with the investigative column name. He's old.

OK, let's do this thing.

After many show invites, and reading all the Internet chatter about Cell Phone Parking Lot - often abbreviated CPPL - it was time to investigate. Saturday, I headed out to The Live Room in Sumner. If you decide to attend a show at The Live Room, don't be fooled by its somewhat ostracized location, where a single gas station is seemingly the only civilization within comfortable walking distance. It is a great venue hosting some great bands, and Cell Phone Parking Lot is one of them.

From the moment Cell Phone Parking Lot hit the stage, I knew I was about witness something special. Though it was my first time seeing them perform live, it's evident they've already built an impressive reputation for putting on great live performances. From the first song of their set - an upbeat original song entitled "Summer" - they made it apparent that they were having as good a time as the audience.

Cell Phone Parking lot began as a two-piece acoustic project between Maveryke Hines (lead vocals/rhythm guitar) and Cody Schuman (lead guitar/vocals) during their sophomore year of high school.

"After discovering that each other were guitar players and that there was an opportunity for Emerald Ridge High School band students to play at the Oasis Cafe, we decided to give performing together a try," says Schuman.

They played under the name Cell Phone Parking Lot, but soon agreed they needed to make it a full band. Josh Bozich (bass/vocals) and Orion Williams (drums) came on board.

The band's musical tastes overlapped with Two Door Cinema Club, Walk The Moon, Said The Whale and The Strokes.

The band's name?

"During band class, we used to line up our cell phones on music stands and called it a cell phone parking lot. So we named our band after that," explains Schuman.

All the members exhibit excellent musicality, as well as a general positive attitude about performing. They interact and poke fun of each other onstage. This wonderful band chemistry is what makes the band's live act such a pleasure to witness. We all know those bands that, despite their talent, are painfully dull to see live *cough cough*. And unless you're The Doors reincarnate, that dark, mysterious attitude will usually come off as merely a gimmick. 

You're probably wondering by now what this band sounds like. Maybe you'd like me to compare them to a band you're familiar with. Or maybe you'd settle for just a genre they could be categorized in. Well, today you are going to have to cut your losses. Cell Phone Parking Lot is a sound unlike any I've heard in the greater Tacoma area. They are an original band in every sense of the word. What I can tell you is their original songs are not lacking in diversity. I suppose they could loosely be called a pop band, but they have clearly drawn from a wide background of influences. They've put their own stamp on their music, and have begun implementing vocal harmonies and intricate guitar parts, something that young bands generally (not-so-intentionally) omit from their music. I'm excited to see CPPL take these elements even further with their future original music.

Go see Cell Phone Parking Lot. With your support this band could be brought closer to the heart of the Tacoma music scene, and infiltrate more mainstream venues where they could reach larger audience. I believe they would have a warm reception into the sacred music scene of Tacoma's youth, and find themselves a favorite amongst young concert goers.

The band hopes to have an EP or album out in early 2013. Upcoming shows can be found on the Cell Phone Parking Lot Facebook page. Check them out!

Keep watching this space for the latest in the South Sound all-ages music scene. Until I receive my own email, you can send your love, and music news, to feedback@weeklyvolcano.com.