Our story starts with a young boy who doesn’t eat lunch his entire freshman year of high school in the wish of buying his own guitar. On one cold February morning in 1998, at the adolescent age of fifteen, Wheeling Bitch Circus’s enterprising and founding member Nate DiDonato’s dream comes true. For six to eight hours a day, seven days a week, for years, he doesn’t stop playing it.

His fingernails are filed down until they bleed, and his tips are torn to shreds. He superglues them back together. He studies hundreds upon hundred of albums, receives countless lessons from expert teachers in rock, metal, and classical guitar, is trained in music theory and composition, and receives vocal lessons as well. He quickly becomes a local virtuoso, and isn’t ashamed to show off.

Come September of 1998, Nate DiDonato meets budding guitarist Sean Ciccone, and team up with veteran progressive-rock drummer Mike Carlin and Goth-rock bassist John Walton. Nate hastily learns to sing and play simultaneously. At this point in time all of the members are only sixteen years old, practicing wherever and whenever they can, often at the stern criticism of neighbors, parents, and household pets. One fateful night after practice, they walk down some nearby train tracks, and Mike thinks of the name “Wheeling Bitch Circus.” For the lack of anything more creative, it sticks.

Within a few months, John Walton’s other commitments warrants him leaving the band. Sean switches to bass, and Nate’s friend since childhood, Professor Pain, enters on second guitar. With elements of progressive metal, thrash, and 90s alternative, they quickly find a small local following.

Together, they cut a six song demo cassette on a 4-track recorder in Nate’s basement, entitled “Greatest Hits”. It sells a mere few dozen copies, but is also bootlegged among their fans that are amazingly too cheap to purchase the tape for $2.

Enter singer Allan Eustace, the voice that would instantly change the sound of WBC. They experiment with styles ranging from hardcore metal to 50s style ballads, and even funk rock, until they begin to dial in their individual sound. Allan’s songwriting skills are so unique and unorthodox, yet at the same time perfectly follow traditional music theory. WBC knows that they are in for something both catchy and different. Nate and Allan learn much from each other about writing music.

Nate’s studio is upgraded with professional recording equipment, as well as new instruments such as keyboards, harmonica, viola, and a banjo. Pure Water Bowel Movement Music, their studio and publishing moniker, is born. They record a new, extremely experimental self-titled WBC album that is sixteen tracks long, including five re-recordings from the demo tape, but this time with Allan on vocals (although Nate still sings on a few new tracks). Their first CD also features the premier of graphic designer Al Landron. The artwork instantly grabs the attention of all who see it. The disc sells a few hundred homemade copies.

Wheeling Bitch Circus finally plays some local shows (mostly charity efforts) and gets the attention they want, but conflict soon arises. Mike and PP decide to leave the band to attend college, and Sean decides to leave as well. Allan and Nate move on to work on side projects until help comes along. They end up releasing two albums which are distributed mostly among friends.

Bassist Andy Barndt, from popular local hardcore bands Fall From Heaven and Inane, joins WBC. He asks ex-punk rock drummer John Rowe to jam with them, and he’s hired on the spot. Soon after, their guitarist friend Matt Grill jams with them, and again is hired at once. The new version of WBC is born.

They go on to record their second full-length CD, “Era”, in 2002. Their sophomore effort is a more mature, refined album that celebrates the combined writing skills of DiDonato/Eustace. Since WBC had basically dropped off the face of the local scene for almost two years, they have a hard time re-establishing themselves.

Shows trickle in but are few and far between. WBC finds themselves playing the occasional graduation party and battle of the bands. This is a sad time for WBC. The graduation parties end up being the last time most of the members see their devoted fans, and they lose every battle of the bands they enter, usually to college kids that exclusively play cover songs.

Matt goes away to college. Enter guitarist Steve Romano. Because all of the members are finally 21 years and older, WBC hits the local bar scene. Matt, when not at school, practices with the rest of the band, playing the occasional show for a three-guitar live onslaught that is praised by their fans. In late 2004, Wheeling Bitch Circus starts to write and record material for their third album.

Their biggest show finally happens in May of 2005, the opening slot for the Louder Harder Faster metal fest in Allentown, PA. They play with bands such as Trouble, Nuclear Assault, Testament, God Forbid, Turmoil, Jag Panzer and more. Accepted among their peers, WBC finally finds their niche audience. The press finally starts to take notice of WBC, but again, things start to get complicated.

Matt and Steve run into conflicts with school and work. Andy quits temporarily committing more time into his other band, Funk Water. This causes the Wheeling Bitch Circus to go on hiatus for eight months. Andy, however, still plays with WBC at any shows that pop up. “Fallen Angel”, the third album, isn’t professionally released until Friday, October 13, 2006.

Matt Grill leaves WBC late in 2007. 2008 marked the 10-year anniversary of WBC, but with new musical endeavors by all of the members, the live band dissolves.

WBC's fourth album, "Temptation" is still being worked on by DiDonato/Eustace/Romano, but will not see the light of day until further notice... with Yuki Yuki Yasumi.