Go For Gold plays Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 2. (Janette Dominguez/Contributed Image)
Together for only a little longer than a year, Riverside’s Go For Gold has been finding the right team to make its pop-punk shine.
After a rotating cast of members, the group has gelled and released a noteworthy EP, “Mixed Feelings,” and will perform at Aladdin Jr II in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 2.
“It’s like a Jenga puzzle,” guitarist Nick Mac said.
Mac joined the band eight months ago after he recorded the group’s first demo in his Corona studio.
Mac explained that the group, which also includes bassist Diego Zamudio, guitarist Mark Holguin, drummer Jose Zepeda, keyboardist and turntablist Martin Hernandez and singer Collin Marchese, grew out from friends who would go to local shows together.
“It was a tight-knit group in the Riverside music scene,” Mac said.
Marchese, who lives in Pomona, first found out about the band when he found them on Facebook while he was searching local pop-punk bands.
About four months ago, the band posted that they were looking for a singer and Marchese, who hails from the Bay Area, sent Go For Gold some music he had done with his old band.
Listen to Go For Gold’s new release “Mixed Feelings” on Bandcamp.
After two practices, Marchese was in the band and suddenly had to learn the band’s music before the next show.
“We had to jump right into it,” Marchese said.
He had three weeks to learn the band’s music and write some lyrics for new songs.
He took the music, went to his room and closed the door, singing and freestyling to get the melodies.
“When I sing, I sing loud — my neighbors will hear me,” Marchese said.
With vocals that sound like a cross between Rise Against and Against Me!, it’s Hernandez’ contribution that sets the band apart.
The hooky synth lines run through the band’s music, and Mac said Hernandez’ turntable skills are getting featured more in the material the band is working on now.
Up next for the band is an acoustic EP, which is due out before the end of the year. Mac said the EP will include two songs from “Mixed Feelings” as well as a cover and one of Marchese’s songs from before he joined the band.
Go For Gold plans to follow that up with full-length album in 2014.
For the Win, At the Edge, Anchorless, Shipwreck, Number One Champs and Tea for One will perform at the Pomona show.
5 p.m. Saturday, Aladdin Jr II, 296 W. 2nd St., Pomona, $10, all ages.
Visit http://goforgoldpoppunk.bandcamp.com and www.facebook.com/goforgoldsocal for more information.