The End of the World CD Release Party The Studio at Webster Hall November 8, 2008 Written and Photographed by Che Stipanovich Opposite Photo: Stefan Marolachakis

The crowd was almost 100% pure Brooklyn! Skinny jeans were everywhere! That mixed with the usual Webster Hall hodgepodge of drunken bachelorette parties, a splash of B&T and well…you get the idea. Even for the Studio space, the crowd wasn’t big. After a couple of very forgettable opening acts, The End of the World went on and began to play all eleven songs from their new album French Exit …..in order. After all, it was a CD release party.

Stefan Marolachakis

The sound lacked intensity. It wound up and then fell off the front of the stage. The obvious single from the album "I Don't Want to Lose” had some definite radio legs due to Benjamin Smith’s “back to basics" guitar work. Stefan Marolachakis is the band’s lead singer and drummer, a combo that rarely works, although Don Henley and Phil Collins would disagree. The drums act as an impenetrable wall between singer and the crowd. This was no exception.

Stefan Marolachakis

Marolachakis’ vocals had a Julian Casablancas quality, albeit in a frat boy package. The crowd was as enthusiastic as hipsters will allow themselves to be and the show was over before it began….in just over an hour.

CMJ had good reason to put The End of The World on their "One's To Watch" list. But, they need significant image and logistical makeovers. Pulling Stefan out from behind the skins and putting him center stage would make a world of difference in both their sound and ability to engage their fans.