 How did the band meet?
Taylor: KT, Kate, and I all went to an after-school music lesson program where we met in early high school. After playing together in the program, we decided to form the band to play music and be goblins together, as well as fill a gap we felt was in the music scene as, in our experience, Minneapolis fostered a predominantly male-dominated space. We really wanted a drummer that was the best fit for the band and decided to advertise on Tinder to find Katie! We just swiped “right” on every artsy nonman we came across until finally we swiped right on Katie and it was love at first sight. :) What is the band's favorite song to play live? Taylor: All of our songs to be honest, however, I have to give an honorable mention to our “Territorial Pissings” Nirvana cover we play at almost every show. KT’s voice is so good on the song and the crowds always go absolutely nuts. I like to put my keytar down sometimes and mosh with them, it gets super rowdy and I LOVE IT. Kate: Sloshville is probably my favorite to play live! The breakdown is so fun to do on stage with KT and Taylor, except I always have too much fun dancing and forget what I'm supposed to play. KT: My favorite song to play live would definitely have to be Rough. Being our most popular song, it really gets the crowd going and it makes me super happy hearing people sing the lyrics along with Taylor. Makes me do the Debby Ryan. Katie: We have a newer (unreleased) song called 21 that is so upbeat and fun. We all just go nuts at the end. New Releases? We’re on track to release our second album at the end of this year! We’re super excited to show everyone what we’ve been working on and we feel we’re definitely settling into our “sound.” The release date, album name, and singles are all TBA on our social media! What is one cause that the band is passionate about? Right now, our biggest focus and/or passion as a band is the uprisings across the country sparked by the murder of George Floyd, especially in our home city of Minneapolis. Although COVID-19 decimated our plans for 2020 (first tour, first festival, and recording LP2) the murder of George Floyd has pushed new music as a priority even farther back in our heads, and we continue to be out in the streets; protesting, running supplies and donating. If readers would like to get involved we have a handy list of ways to support in Minneapolis (Or your city) below! As we find our way to a new "normal" in light of the massive changes taking place across the country, we've found a reignited passion in our music, our community, and the passion to push ourselves and everyone around us to consistently do better. Anything you would like our followers to know? blacklivesmatters.com pendingpetition.com forjusticeforpeace.com Photo By: Taylor Kraemer
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 How did the band meet?
I actually knew Greg from a previous band. We had been playing together for years and he joined me in the new project. Jay was a mutual friend that I convinced to join and Adam was a Craigslist find that showed up prepared!! A rare find. What is the bands favorite song to play live? I think Big Sky really captures the full essence of what BESTMAN is. Vibrant, positive energy. We want the crowd to really feel that vibe and share that experience with us. New Releases? Our latest single "August" released on May 29th and is available to stream right now! There's plans for a few more this summer, but these are some pretty interesting times. We're trying to navigate just like everyone else. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? I couldn't say we have one specific cause. I think I can speak for everyone when I say individually, we are all allies for social justice and equality. It's obviously such a relevant issue and while it's not part of our musical message, we all feel the responsibility to speak out and take action for equal rights. I think we all have some amazing people in our lives that have inspired us and motivated us to be better humans and I'm proud to say it's important for us to be part the change. Anything you would like our followers to know? Follow us this summer on Instagram @bestmanmusic for some new releases and performances. This is such an uncertain time for everyone with musicians being no exception. We want to connect with folks and share our vibe in any way we can. Stay safe!  How did the band meet?
We all met just though playing in different bands here in Chicago! Our singer Nico and guitarist Ryan played together in a band called On Landing, and our bassist Nick and I (Jake) played in a band called Game Changer. Both of those bands came to an end in late 2014. We all had become good friends and decided it would be cool to team up and start a new project! What is the band's favorite song to play live? At the moment I would say it’s a tie between “Rose Gold” and “Space Camp.” Both of those songs sonically really encapsulate what Tiny Kingdoms is all about. New Releases? We just released a new single titled “Daydream” a couple of weeks back! We are heading back to the studio very soon to begin recording more material that should be released before the end of the year. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? It’s very hard to pinpoint one. Since the band began, we have always been supporters of causes and organizations raising awareness regarding mental health, specifically the organization Hope For the Day. We are also all supporters of the black lives matter movement. We believe in equality and justice for all. Anything you would like our followers to know? We just want to let you know that we love every single one of you and your support continues to drive us forward! We can’t thank you enough for all of the positiveity and love you continue to show us. It means the world to us. Photo By: Monique Doron  How did the band meet?
I've always been obsessed with music. I started to take it seriously when a producer approached me at the age of 11. What is the bands favorite song to play live? I actually haven't done too many live sets, so I don't really know yet. I have some really cool new music that I can't wait to sing for people. New Releases? I'm so proud of all of this new music!!! I was so confident in You & Lonely. Releasing something feels the best when you're excited about it. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? I'm pretty passionate about the foster care system, because of my niece and nephew. Anything you would like our followers to know? Follow me @cloewilder on all socials... and I love you. Photo By: Nathan Groff  How did the band meet?
Dreamwell started in the drive-thru of a Starbucks where our friend Nick worked. While ordering, Justin mentioned he was looking for musicians, and Nick, while still working the drive thru, put him in touch with Ryan on Facebook. They met up a couple of times with our former vocalist before joining up with Anthony and Connor. Anthony was playing in another project with Justin (the two of them have been playing together since they met back in like 2013), and when their old band ended Anthony became the obvious first choice for drums. We found Connor on the internet and convinced them to drive an hour from Boston to meet us at our practice spot in Attleboro. They were definitely sketched out the first time they drove out of the city to a house in the middle of the woods, but they’ve been making the drive every week since. We met our most recent member, K.Z., by playing shows with them while they were another band that Ryan even joined for a little bit. About the same time that we parted ways with our former vocalist and were looking for a replacement, K.Z.’s band was breaking up. The timing of things wasn’t that exact and before K.Z. reached out to us we were already started playing shows with a fill in, but we realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t going to work out with them. So Ryan reached out to K.Z., gave them a demo, and within a week they wrote the lyrics to Painting Myself a Darker Day and performed it with us at their first practice. What is the band's favorite song to play live? We all have different ones that we enjoy either because of the energy, parts, or lyrics that they have, but none of them are released yet. So while you can’t check any of these out, it does give you a peak into what we’re working on and what will be coming your way.
New Releases? We released a new track called Painting Myself a Darker Day a few weeks ago with the help of our friends at Mourning Records. We’ll have another one out in just a couple more, along with a big announcement about future releases What is a cause that the band is passionate about? Since starting we’ve always been pro-LGBTQIA+ rights and pro-labor union movements. These are obviously two very different causes and they impact each of us differently on an individual basis, but they are very personal to us and we collectively view them as important. Everyone, regardless of orientation or identity, deserves to be treated fairly and accepted for who they are, and similarly workers of all backgrounds should be treated fairly and valued for their skills. Also, even though we already cheated and mentioned two causes instead of one, we need to mention a third. The instances of blatant racism within the US are escalating to the point of crisis. This is sickeningly nothing new, but in light of the recent events in Minneapolis it would feel wrong to not mention it. We recognize that we’re privileged and will never experience violent racism like George Floyd did, and in our minds that position of privilege gives us an obligation to speak out against these atrocities and any other racist behavior when we see it. Basically, just give us a hard pass and leave us alone if you’re racist, homophobic or transphobic. Anything you would like our followers to know? We hope everyone is staying safe with everything going on. We’re all looking forward to the day when we can enjoy live music again, both as a band and as people who like going to shows. In the meantime, keep an eye out for us because we will be sharing more new music to help you pass the time in quarantine. Photos By: Jared Shute.  How did the band meet?
Ascendence was originally created as an Internet super group following the release the of their debut “The Outlaw” which was released in March of 2017, This release was commercially well received and that caused the band to go live shortly after. What is the bands favorite song to play live? Favorite songs to play live include: 1. The outlaw 2. The outcry 3. Blacklist me 4. Two faced 5. Wasted away New Releases? Blacklist me (released under duckphone records) What is one cause that the band is passionate about? Ascendence is all about pushing boundaries and showing others that you can do whatever you want regardless of what people think of you, never follow masses and always be yourself, and overall do what makes you happy (as long as it’s safe for yourself) Anything you would like our followers to know? Ascendence was recently signed to “Duckphone Records” CEO & founder “Gino Scarim” (front of house for “Dance Gavin Dance” & touring manager for “The Amity Affliction”) and is currently in studio writing new music over the Internet during this quarantine and you can expect new music and content soon!  How did the band meet?
It all started as me playing some solo shows in the Twin Cities. I had been pals with Noah and Wilson for a while because they're all childhood friends with my partner. After asked Wilson if he would be interested in helping me record. Noah, Wilson, and I sat down to play through the songs and knew that it was the start of something really, really good. Noah actually found Alex (Drummer) on craigslist a year ago for another band he's in and we've all been friends from then on. We just recently had the luck to pick up Grace (Bassist) as a mutual on Facebook. What is the bands favorite song to play live? Oh that's a tough one, and we're usually stuck between 2. I like 'Midlife Crisis' because it starts super hollow and just builds into this chaos at the end. Noah and Wilson really like 'Blue and Violet' because it's high energy right off the bat. We usually close with this song, so by the time we play it Noah has usually hopped off of the stage into the audience. New Releases? Y E S. We have a small bandcamp exclusive EP Wislon and I have been working on. We plan to release in a few months with some new songs I've written over this social distance period and a cover. When all of this chaos blows over we'll be able to work on releasing our OG EP. We also have a music video for 'Spirits' coming soon thanks to Keegan Burckhard! What is one cause that the band is passionate about? It's vague, but intersectionality because it's at the core of everything we support. It's important to face the many issues in the world with intersectionality at the forefront because of the overlapping systems of inequality and oppression that exist in our society. Anything you would like our followers to know? We'll be doing some live streams in the coming months on Instagram, whether acoustic or full band. Follow us and stay tuned!  How did the band meet?
I am a solo 1 man band kinda like Trent Raznor from Nine Inch Nails. I hire my friends based on availability and based on who I think fits the band! :D Favorite song to play live? Doors Close https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE4UYmwfaVs New Releases? Yes putting out a new video and song called poison. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? I am passionate about many causes.. I really wish I could fight for equality and for justice for all people. This includes homeless, sick, of color, and everyone. I just want everyone to have freedom to be and follow their passions. I want everyone to live a fair life and not get screwed up by the system; I really was passionate about bands such as System of a Down, Rage Agains the Machines, and punk bands. They all spoke out about the injustices in the world. I want my band to fight against the system and continue to expose world injustices. Anything you would like our followers to know? I am a polish-immigrant kid! I grew up in Poland and moved to Chicago then ended in Los Angeles. People used to tell me I cant be a musician because of where I come from and because im a girl. I never gave up and fought for it. Keep fighting for who and what you want to be. Keep fighting for your dreams.  How did the band meet?
Riley and Aidan met at Columbia College during a group assignment in 2016. Once Aidan wanted to start recording for his new project, he asked to record in Riley's bedroom studio, and the writing partnership was born. Once gigs were on the horizon, Mitch was pulled from Riley's other band Overclocked, Jake was nabbed because Aidan knew him from their previous project Face First, and Austin met Aidan at an Overclocked show and joined the band, probably because of all the whiskey that was had during the show. What is the bands favorite song to play live? Missed Me is the favorite, it's so energetic and the crowd response is always amazing. Best song for live play always New Releases? We just released "Something Wicked" with Pavement Entertainment. It's our first full length album and it's our first label release, so we're super excited about it. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? If there's something we love to promote, it's mental health awareness. A lot of our songs have themes of dealing with mental and emotional problems, and though they may sound destructive at times, we're always trying to find ways to deal with these issues in our songs, and promoting awareness of the many aspects of mental health is something we can do with our art. Anything you would like our followers to know? Go check out the album! It's on Spotify right now! Photo By: Coren McLeod from McLeod Media Company  How did the band meet?
They met in a short-lived punk band. Cassandra was one of the writers in that project. Months after it dissolved neither had found another project yet so Philip decided to send Cassandra a track idea to see if they could find some writing synergy. They did. What is the bands favorite song to play live? Varies - we love "Alive", but we get excited about sharing whatever is the newest one too (even though we're new). New Releases? Just released Social Isolation on April 2nd, only available on Bandcamp right now: https://lightshadows.bandcamp.com/track/social-isolation We have a lot more music on deck. What is one cause that the band is passionate about? One thing we believe in is not being limited by genre. We both love a wide variety of music and believe in openness and inclusiveness rather than narrow, walled groups. Anything you would like our followers to know? We have a website, are on most streaming services and cdbaby/bandcamp. We love comments about people enjoying our music: it made them dance or feel less alone. In this scary time of no gigs, and we're even in separate places, all support is greatly appreciated (and we encourage dancing wildly in front of your pets to our music!) |