About
BELLAVISTA IS:
A rock band based out of San Francisco, California.
Rex Shelverton (guitar and voice)
Jeremy Bringetto (bass)
Matthew Bajda (drums)
Rachael Hoiem (keyboards)
WE ARE CURRENTLY:
In the process of recording our second album.
We released our first album on Take Root Records in April of 2007. Since then, we have played on the East and West Coasts, Texas, Mexico, and toured Europe during the Spring of 2008.
After the Spring 2008 European tour, we had a personnel change with Matthew Bajda replacing Cary LaScala on drums. We have since also incorporated keyboardist Rachael Hoiem into the band. We have only played one show in this new incarnation, but are very excited about our new sound, direction, and the things to come. We plan on finishing our record during the Spring and playing more live shows in the Summer of 2009.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY:
Before there was Bellavista or Vue, there was Portraits of Past, a collaboration between childhood friends who grew up together around Half Moon Bay, California. Rob Pettersen (voice), Rex Shelverton (guitar), Jonah Buffa (guitar), Aaron Schlieve (drums), and Dan Fenton (bass) formed sometime in 1993 and practiced every weekend in the extra bedroom of Aaron’s mom’s Fairfield home. They played a few shows in the Bay Area, Santa Barbara, LA, and San Diego before recording a set of demos and releasing a split 7″ on Ebullition records in 1994. Dan Fenton and Aaron Schlieve were later replaced by childhood friends Jeremy Bringetto (bass), and Matt Bajda (drums). The band then relocated to Santa Cruz, where Jeremy and Jonah went to school. With the new and final line-up in place, the band toured the United States during the summer of 1995 and subsequently recorded the “Portraits of Past LP”, also on Ebullition records. Portraits of Past broke up the following winter due to differences in musical direction within the band.
After Portraits of Past, there was Seventeen Queen; Rex (voice, gtr), Jeremy (bass), Jonah (guitar), and Simon St. Charles (drums), a friend from Richmond, VA. The quartet practiced through the spring with plans for a summer tour, but before that could happen, Jonah and Simon left and were replaced by Mag (drums) and Michael Graves (keys, bass). Rex, Jeremy, Mike and Mag recorded a quick set of demos and a hastily produced cassette tape to sell on tour which became their only remaining legacy. Seventeen Queen dissolved shortly after touring the US in the summer of 1996.
Later that summer Rex and Jeremy formed the Audience with Joesph Moscone (voice), Jonah (gtr), Jason Riddle (drums), and Dave Selevan (keys). They played shows in Santa Cruz and in the Bay Area, and recorded the “Audience LP” that winter. Soon after, Joseph and Dave left the band, Rex took over singing, and Rob Pettersen joined up with the band again for awhile, this time on keys. When Rob left, he was replaced by two keyboard players, Jessica Graves and Brent Butler. In 1998, The Audience relocated to SF, released the “Young Soul” 7″ on GSL records, began recording an LP for Subpop records, and toured the US that fall. The band changed their name to Vue and Brent left shortly afterward.
Vue spent 1999 in the studio. The “Death of a Girl” EP, which contained the two songs from the Young Soul 7″ and three new tracks was released on GSL records that September. The eponymous “Vue” LP was released on Subpop records in Feb, 2000. Jason Riddle left while Vue was still in the studio. Vue toured out to SxSW in March of 2000 with Joey of Dead and Gone filling in on drums. When Joey left, Rafael Orlin began playing drums. Vue then recorded the “Find Your Home” LP, the “Pictures of Me” UK single, (both on SubPop) and did numerous tours of the United States and Europe with bands such as the Faint, BRMC, and Trail of Dead during 2001 and 2002.
In June of 2002, Vue signed a record deal with RCA which released the “Babies are for Petting” EP in early 2003. From March until May 2003, Vue went into the studio to record an LP for RCA. After the record was done, Vue continued to tour that summer around the US and was based out of New York for June and July. At the end of July, Rafael Orlin left the band and remained in New York and Brian Teasley (Man or Astroman) took over. With Brian on drums, Vue went to Europe - playing shows with the Hot Hot Heat, Franz Ferdinand, and opening for the Rolling Stones Aug 16th, 2003 in Utrecht. Meanwhile the release date for the album kept getting pushed back by RCA until finally Vue got dropped from the label in Feb 2004.
Vue continued to tour afterwards, playing SxSw again in 2004 and touring the US with friends the Evening. During this time, Brian Teasley left the band and was replaced by Cary LaScala on drums. Vue then played the Siren Festival in Coney Island that July. Vue broke up shortly after returning home, playing their last show August 16th, 2004.
A complete departure from Vue, Bellavista began as a collaboration of three of the five final members of Vue: Rex Shelverton (gtr,voice), Jeremy Bringetto (bass), and Cary LaScala (drums). In this form, Bellavista released on album on Take Root Records in April of 2007, and performed on the East and West Coasts, Texas, Mexico, and toured Europe during the Spring of 2008. Cary then left Bellavista due to personality differences within the band.
As stated at the top of this page, Matthew Bajda has now replaced Cary LaScala on drums, and keyboardist Rachael Hoiem has joined the band as well.