MACHINES OF GRACE Schedules First-Ever Live Shows

MACHINES OF GRACE — the new band featuring vocalist Zak Stevens (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, SAVATAGE, MACHINES OF GRACE),drummer Jeff Plate (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, SAVATAGE, METAL CHURCH),guitarist Matt Leff (guitar) and bassist Chris Rapoza (bass) — has scheduled its first-ever live performances, starting with an appearance at the Binghamton Area Metalfest at The Country Pines in Endicott, New York.

The group's itinerary is as follows:

Sep. 12 - Binghamton Area Metalfest at The Country Pines - Endicott, NY (12:00 p.m.)
Sep. 13 - Club Europa - Brooklyn, NY
Sep. 24 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH

"We're excited to get on stage and play this material live," says Leff. "As Zak pointed out in a recent interview, it'll be a real trip looking across the stage and seeing us playing live together again. We've got a very short window of opportunity for shows because Jeff starts his TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA rehearsals in early October. We'll do these three shows for now and tour more extensively in early 2010."

"I feel like these are going to be some of the most relaxed, yet intense shows I've been involved with in a long time," adds Stevens. "Simply because the material is so familiar and this band represents what our initial rock and roll dreams were. My first shot at being a live vocalist was with these guys. So for me, playing with MACHINES OF GRACE is like coming full circle."

Plate adds his thoughts about taking MACHINES OF GRACE out on the road: "My thoughts on playing live with this group for the first time? Excited, anxious, confident... MACHINES OF GRACE is that '71 Chevelle SS that you have been working on in your shop for years. Now it's time to take it to the strip and show it off! It has been 10 years since I performed on stage with Zak Stevens and 16 years since performing with Matt Leff, and I know it will feel like yesterday when we blast into our first tune. Chris Rapoza is new to the mix, but there is no doubt that the energy he brought to the studio is going to translate onstage as well. This is the next step in bringing MACHINES OF GRACE to the masses. With our experience, the musicianship and quality songs that we carry, combined with our desire to win over every person at every show, I know we will not disappoint."

MACHINES OF GRACE released its self-titled debut album digitally on July 7 via iTunes and other retailers.

"It's just a pure, solid melodic rock sound," Stevens said about the project. "It has infectious grooves and its own brand of outright power. To me, it's got great songwriting with a hard rock edge and strong commercial appeal."

Leff and Stevens have a lengthy history, spanning back to their days as protégés at GIT/VIT, respectively. Their first band, WICKEDWITCH, also introduced the talents of drummer Jeff Plate, who clinched the lineup and formed the backbone of today's brainchild: MACHINES OF GRACE.

During a considerable hiatus after the demise of the WICKEDWITCH project, Zak Stevens had gone on to front SAVATAGE (and more recently, CIRCLE II CIRCLE),and later recruited Jeff Plate, who performs regularly with the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and METAL CHURCH. Meanwhile, Matt Leff had formed TRIGGER EFFECT, and with bassist Chris Rapoza, had toured as an opening act for IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE and HALFORD.

For more information, visit www.machinesofgrace.net.