Get To Know:: Mayberry

Members: Esteban Rodriguez, Hector Rodriguez, Brayden Dillard, Andrew Dillard
Genre: Pop/Alternative
Location: Edinburg,Texas
Recent Release: Beautiful Mess EP

Texas pop/rockers Mayberry released their newest EP Beautiful Mess just a few weeks ago. The EP showcases who the band is and how they’ve grown since forming back in 2012. You can stream the EP here and get to know more about Mayberry below!

How did Mayberry form and come to be what it is today?
Mayberry started back in 2012. I (Esteban), started it as a side/solo project just for fun my senior year of high school. I was always too shy to show off my own personal work but when I finally felt this is what I wanted to do and built up enough confidence to go for it, I took it serious and began to devolope and work on my craft. It’s all been DIY (DO IT YOURSELF) and 100% independent, which I feel is important since I got to learn
how to do things myself. I got a band together (Brayden, Andrew) and eventually let my younger brother hector join the band. We’ve been playing shows, creating music and growing as people and musicians ever since.

Who are some of your musical influences – both as a band and individually?
As a band, I feel like we try to stay as true as possible to who we are and what we would love to listen to. We don’t ever go into a writing session thinking “lets try to write a song like this”, its always organic and it just depends on what direction and feel we’re trying to go for with each particular song. We set no boundaries on ourselves with our
sound but we are literally influenced by everything. From hip hop/r&b to
rock alternative artists.

Esteban: I know queen has played huge impact on me since a very young age. Currently Ryan Tedder (One Republic) is a huge
musical influence. The guy can do it all, and that’s what I strive for.
Brayden: My musical influences range from The Beatles to Underoath.
Hector: The weeknd, Travis Scott, Drake
Andrew: I have a big rock background as well as classical music. That’s how it all started for me.

What do you enjoy most about playing shows?
The best feeling in the world is seeing a crowd sing back lyrics you wrote.  Seeing fans sing their hearts out and be so passionate about music we created is surreal. I love playing shows. The energy from the crowd always the best.

What do you do when you’re not playing music?
Esteban: I go to school & work as well. Everyday still revolves around music anyway, so I’m usually still working on either editing videos, writing, doing emails, hanging with my brothers or just having a old fashion nap. I don’t do much outside of music.
Brayden: I’m a full time college student but When I’m not playing shows or writing music you can catch me putting together festivals on the road or fishing in my spare time.
Hector: I’m also a full time college student and work when I’m not playing music. I like to workout and hangout with my brothers.
Andrew: I’m usually doing some form of musical production or music planning aside from playing. Aside from that I’m focused a lot on my academic studies.

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For more on Mayberry:: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Get To Know:: Blackout Balter

Members: Phil Cohen (vocals, guitar), Amelia Gormley (bass, vocals), Misha Kostandov (guitar, keys), Chris Dorsey (drums)
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock
Location: Cambridge, MA
Recent Release: Twist and Bend

Massachusetts alt indie rockers Blackout Balter just released their debut EP Twist and Bend. If the EP isn’t one you’ve listened to yet, you should change that…well, now. Twist and Bend includes six killer tracks and – oh yeah – also features Dave Keuning of The Killers. Get to know how the band came to be and what they enjoy most about being both on and off the stage below!

Get To Know:: Bleeker

Members: Taylor Perkins (vocals), Cole Perkins (guitars), Mike Van Dyk (bass), Dan Steinke (guitars)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Location: Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Recent Release: Bleeker EP

The acts coming out of Canada are basically blowing us away and we are a-ok with it. Our newest obsession? Canadian alt-rockers Bleeker. Though they aren’t new to the scene (they’ve been a band for about 13 years), they’re new to our ears. Their latest release, Bleeker, is a killer EP that grabs influences from alternative, rock and pop, and has you jamming out within the first few notes. Get to know the band below!

Get To Know:: Dash|Ten

Members: Steve Ebert (guitars), Pete Greenberg (drums), Corrin Campbell (vocals/bass)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Location: Louisville, KY
Recent Release: “Our Time Now”

For Louisville rockers Dash|Ten, 2016 is shaping up to be an incredible year. Just last month the band released their debut self-titled album, which features lead singles “What You Wanted” and “The Scene,” and next week the band will be hitting the road to perform on the Vans Warped Tour all summer long! We caught up with the band to discuss how Dash|Ten formed, what inspires them, and what they do outside of music. Check it out below and be sure to catch them on Warped at the Full Sail Stage (dates here)!

Get To Know:: The New Electric

Members: Kyle McKearney (lead vocals), Shade ‘Indy’ McKearney (bass, vocals), Chris Doi (guitar, keys, vocals),James Janetty (keys, vocals), and Adam Casey (drums, vocals)
Genre: Alternative Rock-Pop
Location: Toronto, Canada
Recent Release: “Inside Out”

Toronto alt pop-rockers The New Electric have made a name for themselves in Canada and it’s about time that we in the states start to give them some attention as well! The band has won numerous songwriting and band competitions (including the International Songwriting Competition 2016 and Canada’s Bell Media) and have worked with producer Brian Howes who is known for his work with artists including Keith Urban, Boys Like Girls, and Simple Plan. Basically, they’re amazing. Get to know more about The New Electric below!

Get To Know:: iLLPHONiCS

Members: Larry “Fallout” Morris (Emcee/Lead Vocals), Keith Moore (Keys/Vocals), Kevin Koehler (Guitar/Vocals), Simon Chervitz (Bass), Chaz Brew (Drums/Vocals)
Genre: Fusion (Hip-Hop, Alternative, Funk, Rock, Soul)
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Recent Release: “What D’Ya Like”

When we see 10-year anniversaries in music, it’s usually the anniversary of an album. Well, this time we’re changing it up. iLLPHONiCS, a St. Louis based hip-hop fusion band, just hit their 10th anniversary as a collective and THAT deserves to be celebrated! In addition to the anniversary, the band signed with Kansas City-based indie label The Record Machine to release their latest album, Gone With The Trends just a few months ago. Get to know more about iLLPHONiCS below!

Get To Know:: Quinell

Members: I usually hit the road on my own. However, I play some local shows with some really talented musicians/friends – Dallas Reedy (Drums), Ty Teixeira (Guitar), and Sam Derting (Bass/Guitar/Vocals)
Genre: Folk/Rock/Indie
Location: Pasco Washington
Recent Release: From The Woods: Inside Llewyn Davis

Musicians can fund their musical career in a multitude of ways including playing small shows and raising money through Kickstarter. Then you have Quinell, a folk singer/songwriter who has funded his musical career through something a little different – commercial fishing trips in Alaska, where he spends four months on a boat with only a handful of people. Named after the Bob Dylan song “The Mighty Quinn,” Quinell focuses on combining heartfelt lyrics with catchy melodies to send messages of hope and love through his music. Get to know more about Quinell and how he first began playing music below!

Get To Know:: Tempting Heights

Members: Jose Ortiz (vocals), Matt Dumont (guitar/backing vocals), Nick Greenhalge (bass), Kevin O’Connor (drums)
Genre: A punk influenced pop band
Location: Boston, MA
Recent Release: Tempting Heights EP

Having only formed within the last year, Boston pop punkers Tempting Heights are slowly starting to make a name for themselves. The band just released their self-titled EP, which you can stream over on their BandCamp page here! Get to know more about Tempting Heights below!

Get To Know:: Beach Weather

Members: Nick Santino (vocals/guitar), Reeve Powers (bass), and Austin Scates (drums)
Genre: Indie-Pop
Latest Release: What A Drag

Indie-pop band Beach Weather kind of came out of nowhere a few months ago. The band released their debut EP, What A Drag, joined The Maine as support on their American Candy tour and then once again on The Free For All Tour. Now in 2016, the band just wrapped their tour with Sleeping With Sirens and released their new music video for their track “New Skin.” Filled with good vibes, reminiscent of summer tunes you’d be playing in the car with the windows down, Beach Weather is a new exciting venture from ex-A Rocket To The Moon frontman, Nick Santino. Get to know more about Beach Weather, all questions answered by bassist Reeve Powers, below!

Get To Know:: The Energy

Members: Adam Wolfsdorf (vocals), Ian VanderMeulen (guitar), James Clifford (bass), Zachary Thomas (drums)
Genre: Rock
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Recent Release: “When We Were Young”

When cover bands are formed, it’s rare to see them evolve and turn into something more. Then you have Brooklyn rockers, The Energy, who originally formed as a cover band almost 10 years ago and now continue to kick ass as a soulful rock band that needs to be on everybody’s radar. ​Over the past few years, the band has toured with 3 Doors Down, Eve 6, and were even the headlining act for the 2011 NYC Marathon – so basically, if they haven’t been on your radar yet, where have you been? The band are currently planning on self-releasing their new full-length, When We Were Young, which is expected to be released early 2016! Get to know more about The Energy below!

How did The Energy form and come to be what it is today?

The Energy formed originally as a cover band about 10 years ago.  I remember we used to play terrifying places such as the Orange Bear in downtown Manhattan.  We even played at pizza joints such as Two Boots in Park Slope.  We didn’t have an identity, but we loved music and loved playing together.  We were actually originally called Furious George.  And then some heavy metal 50 year old rocker threatened to sue us, because apparently that was his stage name and we were stealing it (unbeknownst to us!).  So rather than going through a crazy lawsuit (although we did love the name), we switched to The Energy- our producer at the time thought we had a ton of energy on stage, so we tried out the name and it stuck.  That’s about the time when we started writing tons of original material and seeking an identity as an original rock band.  The rest is history.

Who are some of your musical influences – both as a band and individually?
You know, we’re all pretty eclectic.  Our guitar player studied classical trumpet at Oberlin College.  I grew up singing in choruses and doing music theater- I was in the national tour of Rent with Neil Patrick Harris, and played Danny Zuko in the tour of Grease.  Our drummer grew up on Zeppelin and the Beatles.  Our bassist loved the Marvelous 3, REM, and Eve 6.  So we all brought different things to the table.  The funny this is, when we write, it’s usually something pretty different from anybody we love or admire.  It’s a synthesis of our four souls- and that’s a strange synthesis, for sure!  But seriously, our sound is a bit of a mystery even to us.  We produce strong, propulsive rock songs with an anthemic, lyrical feel.  How’s that?  Hard to define the undefinable.

What do you enjoy most about playing shows?
How different one is from the next.  You never know what you’re gong to get.  We’ve stood on stage in front of thousands of roaring fans- like when we were direct support for 3 Doors Down at the National Harbor in Maryland, or like when we headlined and sold out Irving Plaza in New York.  We’ve also played some really quite, desolate shows for two or three people and the bartender in South Carolina.  Part of what makes live performance so addictive/interesting is that you never really know exactly what you’re going to get.  The lead singer of Dashboard Confessional once said “I drive 7 hours a day, so that I can be a rock star for 45 minutes a night”.  I’d say that’s pretty true.  There’s a ton of uncertainty, and that makes it both appealing and frustrating.  

What do you do when you’re not playing music?
I love nature.  I love to read and to write- not just music but also poetry, short stories, etc.  I like to spend time with friends.  My family is very important to me.  I have two sons (2 years old and 2 two months old- they keep me pretty busy!).  I also love to exercise.  I find that I’m not happy unless I exercise 5 or more times a week. Helps to get me going.  

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For more on The Energy: Website | Facebook