MUSIC / LIFESTYLE / LOCAL CULTURE
FEATURING
LAUREN MAREK KNOX HAMILTON ISSUE 4.2
STAFF founder & editor in chief ANGELICA NICOLLE ABALOS managing editor DAYNA DRUM lifestyle photo editor MELANIE KIM section editors NINA CALABRETTA RYAN PANNY copy editors NINA CALABRETTA GINA SCARPINO LAURIE BULLOCK
CONNECT contributing writers DAYNA DRUM ASHTON GARNER MELANIE KIM SAM LICHTENSTEIN CATHERINE STRENG IDORA YASIN
website ACENTRICMAGAZINE.COM
contributing photographers JORDYN BESCHEL ASHTON GARNER BRITTANY ISAACSON MELANIE KIM SAM LICHTENSTEIN ANDI SAKOWSKI
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featured artist LAUREN MAREK + CARRA SYKES knox hamilton JOSHUA HAMMOND + HEIDI ANNE-NOEL / PRESS HERE PUBLICITY
ACENTRIC MAGAZINE | APRIL 2017 | ISSUE 4.2 Acentric Magazine is an online and print magazine based in Southern California, with contributors from across the globe. Our team of creatives share interests as eclectic as their origins. We are a collective of writers, editors, artists and photographers who cover a variety of topics from music to local culture, and all aspects in and around. The Acentric Magazine team collaborates with equal amounts of eccentricity and passion for the sole purpose of bringing you the latest, cutting edge content, locally and globally. Published tri-annually. Printed in USA. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved on entire contents. Acentric Magazine would like to thank everyone who has furnished information and materials for this issue. Unless otherwise noted, artists featured in Acentric Magazine retain copyright to their work. Every effort has been made to reach copyright owners or their representatives.
cover photo CARRA SYKES
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by MELANIE KIM
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4 by CARRA SYKES
CONTENTS
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TRAVEL DIARY: JOURNEY TO JAPAN Catherine Streng
VENUE HIGHLIGHT: THE MASQUERADE Ashton Garner
BUDGET BITES: JAMBALAYA Dayna Drum
STEADY HANDS AND LOOSE PLANS Melanie Kim
LOCKER ROOM TALK Sam Lichtenstein
KNOX HAMILTON Idora Yasin
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by MELANIE KIM
G H O S T S TO R I E S AVA I L A B L E N O W O N :
/ S TA I R C A S E S P I R I T S / S TA I R C A S E S P I R I T S
W W W . S TA I R C A S E S P I R I T S . CO M
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TRAVEL DIARY
JOURNEY TO JAPAN words by CATHERINE STRENG photos courtesy of ANDI SAKOWSKI
A country of juxtapositions, Japan boasts a proud, ancient traditional history and a modern wildness in regards to its culture. With ancient buildings next to modern skyscrapers and opportunities to dine on delicacies such as sea urchin and insane foods like curry donuts on the same street, Japan remains in my top three countries out of the 16 I’ve had the joy to visit. Although my trip to Japan this past summer was the second time I had the pleasure of going, the country remained just as beautiful, entertaining and wild as I had left it.
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My close friend, Amanda, and I stayed in Tokyo the entire week. With so much to do in just one city, every day was jam-packed with activities. One of my favorite things about Japan, and all of East Asia, is its food. Although you could spend thousands of dollars on exotic delicacies, paying 500 to 1,000 yen (around five to ten dollars) for sushi in a grocery store makes for a better meal than you can get for $80 in a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles. Almost every morning, Amanda and I would stock up on 100 yen onigiri - triangle sushi wrapped in plastic - and make our way to the
subway station munching away on cheap, delicious, healthy foods. Of course, not all Japanese food is healthy, such as ramen. If all you’ve ever had before is the five-cent ramen packets sold at Walmart, your life is incomplete. Having lived in Los Angeles for years, I had tasted real ramen cooked how it’s supposed to be. But it’s an out-of-this-world experience to try it from the heart of its motherland. My favorite place to get ramen in Tokyo is Ichiran. Although it’s a chain, it’s not like a fast food chain in the United States. Every bowl is soul-enriching.
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JAPAN BOASTS A PROUD, ANCIENT TRADITIONAL HISTORY AND A MODERN WILDNESS IN REGARDS TO ITS CULTURE.
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Amanda and I went back more than three times because I couldn’t get enough. Their Tonkotsu Ramen is everything. It mends broken hearts as its broth is made from delicious fatty pork. Japan has a special ability to transport you from the 21st century to the 600s in a split second. One minute, you’re riding a modern bullet train and the next, you’re stepping off in front of an ancient temple. My favorite temple in Tokyo is the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, built in 628. It has a bravado of grandeur, painted with a fiery red color and towering with a five-story pagoda that looms over you as you step inside. A couple minutes’ walk away is a McDonald’s with free wifi for the public. This mix of old and new—a rarity in the USA—is distinctly Japanese.
Japan upholds sophistication and tradition, with honor to your family being of utmost importance. The history of Japan, filled with messy imperialism and powerful battles, leaves the Japanese people with a heavy need to maintain their image to the rest of the world as powerful and the third largest economy in the world. And yet, Japan also boasts of being, well, weird. Anime, unusual clothing, wild foods, and an insane nightlife highlight the other side of the Japanese culture. Although I didn’t take sake shots and go clubbing (maybe next time though!), the active gamers in cafes and girls in cosplay I saw while walking down Harajuku street gave me a taste of the wild side of Japanese society, and I can’t wait for more.
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VENUE HIGHLIGHT
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THE MASQUERADE words & photos by ASHTON GARNER
The Masquerade has lived in Atlanta for over 25 years and is rooted in the at 695 North Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward district. When it first announced its departure from O4W, Georgians and music fans alike were floored. It’s hard to imagine it anywhere else. The grungy outer appearance of the old DuPree Excelsior Mill and its trademark purple marquee made their way into the hearts of both Atlanta natives and visitors since the Masq’s opening in 1989. The mill-turned-venue’s doors closed and marquee shone one last time on Nov. 20 after shows featuring A$AP Ferg, Electric Citizen, and Rebuker bid them farewell. The venue known and adored by so many is now another casualty of urban development. To say the Masq’s journey has been rocky would be an understatement.
Atlanta’s urbanization efforts to create a more “upscale” city has forced the Masquerade out of its home of 25 years. Amid lawsuits and the struggle to find a spot to house three venues in one, it’s been far from smooth sailing. The venue had secured a building to become the new home of the Masquerade, but took one step forward and two steps back as a lawsuit came its way. A local land developer was set on forcing the venue out of their new location due to future noise concerns of residents of a neighborhood that was planned to be built across the street. Regardless of whether there was a replacement or not, the clock was ticking at North Avenue, leaving the venue to scramble for a temporary replacement. As a final goodbye to 695, the venue polled their followers
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THOUGH MANY WERE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE NEW TEMPORARY LOCATION, KENNY’S ALLEY QUICKLY FILLED THEIR HEARTS AND EXCEEDED ANY EXPECTATIONS
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on Twitter about their favorite songs they’d seen live at the Masq’s original location in the Old Fourth Ward district and made a playlist, which boasted a vast array of artists and truly showed the impact the venue has made on the city and in the music community across genres. Over the years, the venue has housed names such as The Killers, Nirvana, Coldplay, and Blink-182, to name just a few. After several setbacks and final goodbyes to the Masquerade’s location of a quarter-century, the playlist did the venue right as an homage to 695 North Avenue. But the legacy lives on in Kenny’s Alley. In the heart of downtown sits Underground Atlanta, a shopping mall in the Five Points district that was bustling with life nearly a decade ago.
Today, the shopping mall is less than busy, but still hosts a variety of shops that make it unique. The addition of the Masquerade to the Underground, even if temporary, has created a whole new buzz around the Five Points area. Over the years, the Masquerade became a second home to thousands of people and offered an escape from the daily routine. Having spent hundreds of nights attending hundreds of shows at the venue, it was hard to say goodbye to the place that welcomed concert-goers with open arms for so long. Everyone knew everyone at shows, and an already exciting time was made even better with a wide group of friends. And so, the move to Kenny’s Alley struck a different chord in everyone. Some were excited for a new adventure,
THE MASQUERADE BECAME A SECOND HOME TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND OFFERED AN ESCAPE FROM THE DAILY ROUTINE.
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THIS HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOUND A NEW RESIDENCE, BUT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL JUST AS WELCOME. 16
and some longed to keep it at its current spot. Though many were skeptical about the new temporary location, Kenny’s Alley quickly filled their hearts and exceeded any expectations they may have had. Being surrounded by good music and even better friends made the concerts feel like family, regardless of the space. Although it’s a different location, the connection the crowd shares through music kept music lovers
just as close and at home as 695. This home away from home found a new residence, but makes people feel just as welcome. The scenery may be different but the feeling is all the same.
photographers have photographed their first show there. Many made countless friends at the Masq, whose friendships will remain strong no matter where the venue travels.
For many, the Masquerade’s original location was filled with so many great experiences. A ton of firsts and sadly, a ton of lasts. Some people have had the chance to see the first band they ever listened to for the first time at the Masquerade. Budding music
The 695 North Avenue location will surely be missed, but everything will be alright in the end. Whether nestled in North Avenue or Five Points, the Masquerade will continue to be a second home to many people for many years down the road.
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(800) 273-TALK(8255)
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by BRITTANY ISAACSON
BUDGET BITES
JAMBALAYA words by DAYNA DRUM photos by ANGELICA NICOLLE ABALOS
T’was the night before payday, when all through the house, every stomach was rumbling, even that of the mouse. The moment has arrived. It comes every month, yet every time you seem to be more unprepared than the last. The roar of your stomach is deafening, but the simultaneous hollowness of your refrigerator and your wallet somehow seem to be making a far greater sound. Sheer panic sets in, and you rue the moment that you chose a packet of ramen noodles as your last meal. Or, we have an alternative for you: budget bites! So the next time you find yourself in this particular pinch, let your mind wander south… to the cajun south. Jambalaya is the perfect recipe for a frugal meal, while not trading practicality for taste. Here’s what you’ll need: -2 ½ cups of water -1 cup of rice -1 package of hot smoked sausage -8 oz can of tomato sauce -14 oz can of diced tomatoes -1 tablespoon of beef bouillon powder (or 1 cube) -3 tablespoons of diced onions -1 tablespoon of dried parsley -½ teaspoon of dried thyme -Creole seasoning to taste -Tabasco sauce to taste
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INSTRUCTIONS: 1 Start by browning your slices of sausage in a large pot. Set it aside once it’s done. 2 Next, combine water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bouillon powder, diced onions, dried parsley, dried thyme, Creole seasoning and Tabasco. Stir and bring to a boil. 3 Once you achieve a rolling boil, stir in the rice and reduce heat. 4 Cover the pot and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is thoroughly cooked. 5 Combine with sausage and a few more hits of hot sauce. 6 Eat! Drink! Be merry! (But not too merry, you’re broke).
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STEADY HANDS AND LOOSE PLANS Texas Photographer Lauren Marek and her silent yet sure creative approach
words by MELANIE KIM photos courtesy of LAUREN MAREK & CARRA SYKES
Lauren Marek is a portrait and documentary photographer from Houston, Texas with an uncanny, clean, candid style. Marek grew up dreaming of being a movie director. Since University of Texas at Dallas lacked a formal film production degree, she dabbled in other arts and found a talent in photography. Marek never really stopped being inspired by cinematography and films, but has also leaned into classic photographers as her influences. To this day, much of her style is influenced by the candid posture of film stills.
Besides “the greats” of photography, it was a photographer Marek found on social media during her freshman year of college that inspired her to pursue photography seriously. “I was on Flickr, back in the days when you would just scroll through Flickr as a photographer and just be inspired by people,” Marek said. “And I found Lauren Lemon, a.k.a. Lauren Randolph. I think she did a 365 where you post a photo everyday, which was before Instagram and all that jazz. She definitely was the person who I was so inspired by, and I still am.”
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MAREK’S UNIQUE TALENT IS ALLOWING HONEST MOMENTS TO SIT QUIETLY AND POWERFULLY IN HER IMAGES.
A development to spot in Marek’s recent photos is her subject matter, due to a slight change of location. Following in the footsteps of many great American photographers, Marek’s subject style has been shaped by small-town Belleville, Texas, where she grew up. Her content centers around and the charm of living quietly and simply, in a candid yet romantic fashion. However, her photos recently have shifted after she moved from humble Belleville to the metropolis of Houston, Texas. “I was commuting every day from Belleville to Houston, which is a 45 minute drive one way. It was very much backroads. There’s like, nothing.
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I would do that twice a day and stop and take photos all the time. And then I went to the city recently to do photo stuff full time, and there definitely haven’t been as many nostalgic, small town American vibes, which I do miss, but there’s seasons for that,” Marek said. “I’ll go back to it at some point.” Marek’s unique talent is allowing honest moments to sit quietly and powerfully in her images. Her portraits can effortlessly range the emotional spectrum from contemplative to playful, but they never require overwrought effort to make a statement. Her photos may be bright and toned with warm neutrals, or they may be studio pinks and blues.
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I’M ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND IN BETWEEN MOMENTS
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She could shoot a face and make every freckle visible, and next shoot an unfocused abstraction or a hazy, light-leak-esque scene. But despite such wild diversity, her steady, intentional framing always remains sure and unified. Marek’s willingness to be present with people with a camera and without an agenda is a great factor in her poignant portraits. “I try to create scenarios where the person I’m photographing is
doing their own thing. I’m always trying to find in between moments, especially when I’m photographing people,” Marek said. “Even when I’m doing work for corporate stuff or personal stuff. I would say that not posing people is my thing. I don’t like posing people, and I also don’t like preconceived or planned out things.” The creative process is a roller coaster for artists and Marek’s experience has been no exception. One of the ways Marek keeps her photography practice moving is by assigning herself to client
work when inspiration is hard to come by. “Focusing on client work and different assignments has been really helpful just because I’m not focusing on trying to create something that is awesome,” Marek said. Marek’s experimental attitude has led to several unique personal series in her Instagram feed, including a series of studio portraits which she revealed are crafted with surprisingly common materials. In order to achieve colored-
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gel studio light or even ethereal light leaks in her digital photos, Marek has used taped neon plastic party bags from Target over LED light panels, and held up the edge of a colored plastic protractor to the lens edge. “I don’t like spending crazy amounts of money on studio equipment. I buy the cheapest stuff and then just make it work,” said Marek. Marek’s commitment to experimentation is a key driving factor
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in her creative practice, as well as something she encourages in other photographers. “I always tell people to take pictures of what makes them happy. Do what they have to do. Don’t think that they have to be a certain way to be successful or to be a good photographer, because you know, it’s just boring if you’re just riding that wave. Do that, and experiment, be creative… just have fun. If you’re not having fun, what’s the point? It’s
IF YOU’RE NOT HAVING FUN, WHAT’S THE POINT? a hobby, it’s a passion, it’s a career. There’s so many stages of doing the photo thing that if you don’t start out with a passionate love for it, it’s not going to be fun.”
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LOCKER ROOM TALK words & photos by SAM LICHTENSTEIN
For as long as I can remember (and to my father’s dismay), I have been interested in tattoos. They’re permanent art! As soon as I was old enough to understand what a tattoo was, I was so interested in the notion of turning your body into a canvas. In high school, I went to local tattoo shops and photographed people as they were getting tattooed. In college, I was very interested in photographing any and all of my friends who had tattoos. I knew I wanted to do another project about ink, but I wanted to take it a step further: I wanted to be the one doing the tattoos.
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Making art that was inherently political seemed particularly easy to do with what’s happening in the U.S. lately. Using politically charged quotes with a feminist direction seemed like a great choice after I did some research on the history of tattoos, and the title, “Locker Room Talk,” seemed like a no-brainer after Trump’s careless choice of words. For the past two and a half centuries, women have been tattooing their bodies as a way to push back from Victorian beauty standards, and as a way for independent and strong women to express themselves. I was
heavily inspired by Barbara Kruger, a conceptual artist who uses words in her art to address identity and sexuality. I wanted viewers to look at my work and come away with something. I wanted the words and the images to shock. To prepare for the project, I made an anonymous survey and asked women to send in anything that men have said to them—whether in person or on the Internet—that made them feel uncomfortable or upset. The responses were overwhelming; I received almost 100 in a two-month span.
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FRUIT BRUISES AND ROTS THE I purchased my own tattoo kit and I had to put together the tattoo gun myself, which was definitely an interesting experience (who knew that rubber band that goes around the outside actually had a purpose?). The same father who cringes every time I mention the idea of a new tattoo was not thrilled to see that order on our Amazon history. I naturally gravitated to the idea of tattooing fruit since I needed something to practice on while I was learning to use the machine. The usage of fruit ended up being a crucial part of the meaning to the project: fruit bruises and rots the
SAME WAY NEGATIVE WORDS CAN MAKE US FEEL LIKE WE ARE BRUISED AND DECAYED. same way negative words can make us feel like we are bruised and decayed. When men say these things, they don’t think about the lasting effects. The process of reading these horrible words and permanently marking them on an object has been
somewhat therapeutic, as I was the one in control. I got to choose the canvas (in this case, which piece of fruit), and then I got to arrange the fruit however I wanted in the photograph. I also got to choose which words to tattoo, and take them out of context, reclaiming them into something else.
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LET’S FACE IT: WHO RUN THE WORLD? GIRLS. I’ve chosen to photograph the fruit sitting or held by women who are wearing little to no clothing, but I am choosing not to heavily edit the bodies. By not editing out pimples or smoothing pores, I am keeping these women real; they are not made into objects the way women tend to feel like when they suffer from harassment. This project is meant to show that words stick, and they can leave permanent scars. I want women to view this work and join me in fighting back against the harassment we all face so frequently, because let’s face it: who run the world? Girls.
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by ASHTON GARNER
by JORDYN BESCHEL
KNOX HAMILTON words by IDORA YASIN photos by MELANIE KIM
Knox Hamilton is the product of a collective of indie musical genius. Boots Copeland (bass, vocals), Cobo Copeland (drums), and Drew Buffington (lead guitar) combine savory instrumentals with fervent vocals to create a sound that is an inventive tip of the hat to their pious upbringings. The roots of Knox Hamilton stem from the fellowship halls of church. Boots and Cobo are the sons of a pastor. At their father’s church in Sherman, Texas, the brothers began to learn more about their burgeoning passion for music. “We were about six or seven years old when we started to play music,” Cobo said.
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The two brothers constantly played music together, but it wasn’t until they moved to Arkansas that the idea of expanding into a band seemed like a tangible one. At their father’s new church, the brothers met their future lead guitarist, Drew. “We moved to Little Rock and met Drew at our church, and from there we became best friends,” said Cobo. It was at the church’s thrift store where the boys worked at during the summer that they discovered the name for their band. While rifling through some of the boxes, they found an old yearbook from the 70’s and came across someone who looked like the portrait of rock and roll – his name was Knox Hamilton.
“We thought, this is it, this name is perfect!” Cobo shared. From that day forward, the boys recognized themselves as the band Knox Hamilton. Despite a common upbringing, the boys all bring individualized personalities to the table. When it comes to songwriting, Boots hold the reins. The poet of the group, he writes personal stories that paint a picture of a place all too familiar -- that feel close to home with how personable they are. On the other end of the spectrum, Drew is the relaxed one of the group. At the same time, he keeps a grip on the reigns of the group. Cobo is the self-proclaimed sensitive one of the trio.
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AN OASIS FROM THE MUNDANE. “At the end of the day, we all work together and treat each other with respect in regards to creative differences,” Cobo said. In quiet communities like Sherman, Texas and Little Rock, Arkansas, there wasn’t much of a local music scene to follow. The boys got their start with small events and weddings until they recorded their single “Work It Out”. The moment that they heard the song finalized in the studio, they realized that it was much more than a simple demo, and that people would want to listen to it. It wasn’t long after they recorded the track that it got radio
play on SiriusXM’s Alt Nation. “We just felt that it was so real, and we could do something with it,” Cobo said. After the song premiered, the boys pushed in every way to promote it. They performed a handful of shows, which all sold out. Eventually they were able to get the song on Spotify. It was here that their current manager, Chris Allen found them and contacted them. Knox Hamilton’s palette explores a range of indie dance beats and
alternative reverberance. Coming from a region like the South, where the most popular genres tend to be classic rock or country, the boys wanted to take on something new. “We wanted to craft something more unique, and worldly reachable,” Cobo said. The adventurous tones they strive to create are meant to bring the listener to a place outside of their troubles, an oasis from the mundane. On their newest album, The Heights, the boys have explored just about every avenue of creative influence,
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WE ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION EVERYDAY – WHAT OUTCOME WILL WE HAVE IF WE KEEP ON WORKING HARDER? WE WON’T KNOW UNTIL WE DO IT.
having split the production of their album between two cities.
sound, so this album has two contrasting sets to it,” Cobo said.
Half of the album was recorded and mixed in El Paso, Texas with producer Evan Peters of Virgin Records. The city has a Mexican influence that inspired the boys to bring back the aura of classic rock that they so often experienced growing up in Arkansas.
Since the beginning of March, the boys have been on tour with Tennessee rock band Colony House. They are hoping that this tour gives them ample opportunities to connect with their fans as well as make some new ones.
“It felt like home,” Cobo said. “We found Arkansas roots in El Paso.”
“We want to hit every college town and radio station that’ll let us,” Cobo shared. They are hoping to add a handful of music festivals to their schedule as well.
The boys took the other half of their production to Los Angeles. Here, they worked with producer Tim Kimnada, a household name amongst fans of Neon Trees, Walk The Moon, and Coin. “He gave us more of a produced
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Having only been together as a band for about five years now, the one thing they’ve kept at the top of their priorities is staying open and honest.
The boys consistently work to connect with fans and their community by staying in tune with them through their social networks and by touring. “We’re nowhere near huge,” Cobo said. “We ask ourselves the question everyday – what outcome will we h ave if we keep on working harder? We won’t know until we do it,” he continued. The boys have quickly grown from playing music in the intimate halls of their Arkansas church. With a combination of transparency, organization, and a heavy dose of dedication, they’re working their way towards a well-deserved summit for their artistry in the alternative rock world.
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